Slept Like the Dead
by Middaydark
Summary: Sookie and Eric get up to lots of supernatural hijinks during a trip to Hawaii. Blood, lemons, periodic violence. Canon-ish through book 8.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

If I were the kind of girl who kept a journal, these last few years would certainly have filled a few. Not that anyone would have believed the contents. All the people in Bon Temps turned a blind eye to the many unexplained events which kept happening here since the vamps went public. The supernatural community liked it better that way anyway I guess.

I was having an unusually slow night at work so I had plenty of time to think as I filled the salt shakers and restocked the bar. I had been through the war, literally and more than once, since Bill walked into Merlotte's and vampire politics became a part of my everyday life. I wasn't too thrilled by that fact. Then again, it had been over three weeks since Sigebert's attack on Eric and Filipe de Castro in Sam's parking lot, and I was actually getting bored. Surely this wasn't a good thing. I guess I had expected to hear from Eric, or even from Pam, after the night they stopped by the bar to offer me the formal protection of the vampires, but I had been wrong. Everything was quiet and everything was, well, normal. _If such a thing existed, that is._ With a sigh, I looked at my watch and noticed that it was already 1:00 am. There was no one else in the bar besides Sam, who was going over the float while drinking a Bud Light.

"I'm done for the night so I'm going to head home, okay Sam?"

"Sure. Goodnight Sookie. See you on Monday." Sam replied while counting bills.

I smiled and waved in response. By the time I got to my car, my boredom had quickly turned to irritation. Why hadn't Eric called, or stopped by the bar, or anything? I hadn't even been sensing him through the bond. I felt cut off. Was this how he treated his friends? I'm sure it probably _was_ how he treated his former lovers, but he had assured me I was more than that to him. I was actually getting used to our banter, I was even getting used to him randomly appearing in the parking lot at Merlotte's or on my back porch. _Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea. I missed Eric._

The drive home was all too quick as I pondered this new piece of information. Sure, he had saved my life on more than one occasion, but hadn't I saved his in return? Pam's too? Even though he was always doing things like re-gravelling the driveway and replacing stuff like my cell phone and jacket, how thoughtful was he when his memories of spending time with me came back? Not thoughtful at all. He became even more secretive and broody and distant than normal. _Okay Sookie, snap out of it or you'll have to explain your bad mood to Amelia. _Shaking the thoughts from my mind, I opened the back door and went inside. There wasn't any sign of Amelia or Octavia so I figured they must be asleep. Well I suppose it _was _getting pretty late. Why wasn't I tired? I guess three weeks of normality after more than two years of constant action was enough to refresh anyone. Besides, I had the next two days off and could sleep whenever I wanted, why not stay up a while?

Suddenly, a strange thought came to mind which instantly excited and surprised me. If I missed Eric so much, what was stopping me from driving over to Fangtasia and having a quick drink? After all, I'm an adult and I had nowhere to be tomorrow. Quick as a flash, I was hopping in the shower and yanking things out of my closet which would be just provocative enough to incite Eric's attention, and just conservative enough to be decent. Why hadn't I thought of this before? Just because I wanted to have a talk with him, it didn't mean it had to be _the _talk. Besides, hadn't it been Eric who had visited me the last time, the last two times?

Since it was Friday night, Fangtasia would be open later than its usual closing time of 2:00am so I had a little window with which to get ready and get my ass over there. Why stay bored when a thousand year old Viking vampire, a gorgeous blond haired and blue eyed one, would probably really like to see me?

Settling on a royal blue silk shift dress and a pair of pumps, I was ready to go. Screw the cold; I'd only be outside for a few minutes anyway. I was almost out the door when I thought I should leave a note for Amelia in case she woke up and wondered where I was.

_Amelia, I'm gone to Fangtasia. I have the cell if you need me. – Sookie._

That being done, I hopped in the car and made my way to Shreveport to see Eric.

* * * * *

Even at 2:30am, there was still a small lineup outside of the bar and Pam was selectively letting people in and taking their cover charge, as usual. Looking up from an excited looking frat-type guy, Pam saw me and waved me in.

"Sookie, I was wondering if you'd come." Pam said with a wicked grin. That Pam.

"What do you mean? I came here on a total whim, Pam."

She ignored me and pointed past the bar at Eric's booth where he was sitting, looking as bored as I had an hour ago. _Oh boy, maybe this was a bad idea. _As soon as I saw him, I got knots in my stomach the size of baseballs. He looks, well, he looks amazing. In dark jeans and a tight fitting black undershirt, his muscles seemed to ripple deliciously just by existing. I mean, he wasn't even moving for goodness sake. Being careful to stay hidden for the time being, I walked a few steps behind a group of fangbangers and watched as his expression changed from boredom to curiosity. Did he sense my nervousness in the bond? Did he sense my excitement? _Or are those slutty fangbangers just making him hungry?_ You never really knew with a vampire. I decided to order a gin & tonic and let him come to me. After all, I had driven all this way. As soon as I sat down at the bar, I was flooded with a feeling of supreme satisfaction. Eric must have spotted me. I wasn't going to turn around though, I was going to sit here innocently and sip my drink.

"You look incredible, lover." Eric crooned into my ear, licking the lobe so quickly I couldn't have objected.

"Thank-you, Eric. So do you." I wasn't about to forget my manners; no matter how turned on that one simple lick had made me.

"Why don't we go to my office where there's a little more privacy?" asked Eric while pressing his hips and his obviously building arousal into my back.

"I think the bar will be fine. I came here for some company Eric, some _innocent _company. Is that okay or should I go home?" I said with a little edge in my voice. I hadn't expected such an instant physical reaction to Eric's touch and it was almost unsettling. I missed him, sure. I had been bored and lonely lately without him…but we had too many unresolved issues between us for me to just enjoy his company or his sexual advances in an uncomplicated way. Whenever I felt him through the bond it made me wonder if all my feelings were his or mine and that was too confusing. Maybe I was just plain stubborn when it came to Eric.

"Dear one, you may come here and enjoy my company any time you like. Now, to what do I owe this totally unexpected pleasure?" Eric said pleasure in such a way that I could have melted into the barstool.

"Pam didn't seem that surprised to see me." I said, questioningly.

"Well, she should have been. I knew nothing of this. I was hoping, of course, that you would come visit me or contact me but I wanted to give you some time to digest the news of the King's intention to provide protection. I've also been very busy under his new regime." Eric stated quietly, ending all my suspicions as to why he hadn't called.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know why I'm here. I was at home, thinking about how bored I was, and it suddenly occurred to me that since I have tomorrow off I may as well have some fun." I wasn't going to tell him I missed him, his head was big enough already.

Eric instantly looked at once thrilled and baffled.

"When did it _occur to you _as you said?" Eric asked.

"An hour and a half ago; why do you ask?" This seemed an odd question. Naturally, I was expecting him to remark on how I chose Fangtasia, and him, as a destination for fun.

"Oh, no reason in particular, just that around that same time I was thinking about how much, _fun_, it would be if I got to see you tonight." With that, he leaned in and kissed my neck. Oh hell, I must have known deep down that he would try something like this and I was enjoying it. For a moment or two, I let him graze his hands over my shoulders and down into the neckline of my dress. And then I realized what Eric had just said and pulled away violently.

"Eric, you told me you'd never use the bond to make me answer your call! How could you?" I asked, hurt and affronted.

"Sookie, I swear to you I didn't call you to me. You'd never adhere to my influence even if I tried. You know this. I wanted you to come here, you must have wanted to as well. It seems the bond worked to our mutual advantage in this instance. Wouldn't you agree?" He asked with a little smirk. "Are you not glad to see me?" He leaned in again, and this time I caught his lips with my own. _Oh,_ _what the hell._ He almost growled into my mouth with his deep hunger for me as I responded to him with my lips and tongue. His passion for me was so intense that it warmed me all over and made me shiver at once. _I missed him_ _and I wanted him, everything else could wait._

"Eric, I won't do this here, at your bar." I said, pulling away from him and speaking into his roped and muscular neck.

"Of course not lover." He said as he picked me up and tossed me on his back with no effort at all.

"Where are we going, Eric?" I almost giggled as the speed in which he had picked me up, put me in his Corvette and started driving away from Fangtasia without a second thought.

"When are you working again?" He asked with a grin.

"On Monday, but why is that relevant?" I looked at him quizzically.

"Do you suppose the shifter would allow you an extra few days?"

"I don't know Eric; I suppose he would since I've been working overtime these past few weeks. But why on earth are you taking me somewhere that would require that much time off?" This didn't make sense.

"Right now I'm taking you to my house, lover. We'll talk about it when we get there." Eric sure had a way of ending conversations. At this point, though, I wasn't about to argue because I was still incredibly turned on and everything else could wait. Something about him caressing the wheel while driving at this speed made me weak with wanting. I wonder why. Emboldened by my arousal, I edged closer to Eric on the seat and starting running my hands through his hair, down his chest and lightly over the crotch of his jeans. He responded instantly; his gracious plenty bulging appreciatively.

"Keep that up Sookie and I'll have to pull over." Said Eric, groaning from the strain I was purposely causing him. Enjoying the power I held over him, I unbuttoned his jeans and ran my hands over his grey silk boxers. _Oh, yum._ With that, Eric pulled over.

"I warned you, Sookie." He said, laughing in an entirely sexual way. "How do you expect me to drive us home safely when you are rubbing me in this manner? I have wanted this for a very long time and you would dare tease me in the seat of my own car?" Before I knew what was happening, he had hopped out of the car and opened the door to my side, unbuckling my seat belt.

"I was just having a little fun, Eric. I'm not going to have sex with you on the side of the road!" I said in exasperation. This wasn't going how I planned. But then again, he is a vampire. His arousal and mine was so strong through the bond that I was on the verge of yielding to him, and I didn't want to screw his brains out on the side of the highway even if it was after 3:00am.

"Then you will listen to me when I tell you to have patience, lover. Another mile is hardly a long time to wait after two years." Eric was so pleased with himself by this sudden switch in our relationship that I wanted to slap him. Instead I flushed with embarrassment and got back in the car. I have never known Eric to turn down sex, particularly not with me, and the concept of it was beyond comprehension. I remained silent for the rest of the drive to his house.

* * * * *

Eric lived in a posh neighborhood filled with two and three story brick houses. Not that this was any surprise, I knew Eric had money, but his colonial at the end of the street was absolutely breathtaking. He had a fully manicured lawn, a circular driveway, and from what I could tell, a large piece of property in the back. I actually gasped as we pulled up to the door. Eric was positively aglow with pride and contentment at my reaction.

"Eric, your house is beautiful. It's…enormous. Does Pam live here as well?" I asked, suspecting that she must.

"Yes, for the time being, but she won't be coming here tonight. She knows not to." Eric said, taking my hand and unlocking the front door.

Eric flicked on the light switch to the left of the door, and the foyer was illuminated by the dim light of an overhead chandelier. I couldn't have noticed from outside, at night, but I quickly saw that the windows in the house were of the same opaque glass as the hotel in Rhodes. Evidently, Eric had renovated the house and I suspected it hadn't come cheap. Directly in front of me was a winding staircase, and to my left and right were large rooms which appeared to go on forever. I couldn't really get an idea of their style or purpose in the semi-darkness. Motioning to the staircase, Eric said: "after you, lover." As I walked up the staircase, I glanced at my watch: 3:20am. We had, at best, three and a half hours to sunrise. I was going to make them count. Pushing my feelings of anticipation and need through the bond, I looked behind me at Eric to see sheer lust spread across his face.

"I will show you around another time, lover, for now we will go to my bedroom if that suits you?" He knew damn well it did. At the top of the stairs, Eric indicated that we should go right. Turning right, I noticed a giant set of double doors, solid oak, which must have been the entrance to his room. I began to feel both nervous and exhilarated at once. Sensing my conflicting emotions, Eric wrapped me in his arms and kissed me before stopping to open the door to his room. Then he looked me in the eyes and his expression changed from lustful to serious.

"Sookie, I have never brought a human woman to my home. You must understand that to know my place of rest, combined with our bond and the feelings I have for you, is…" He paused.

"Not right now Eric, I know we need to talk about many things. But right now is for you and me to experience one another. Please." I pleaded with my eyes and all my heart that he simply love and touch me right now without all the pain and politics.

"Wait here for one moment" Eric said and I nodded. A few minutes later, I heard him call to me and opened the doors to his room. It was the biggest room I'd ever seen. A king-sized four poster bed with a gorgeous white Egyptian cotton canopy, sat in the middle. He had lit candles on his shelves around the room and tied the curtains to the canopy back, revealing him lying shirtless and surrounded by big white pillows. Eric quite literally lived the fantasy I didn't know I had.

"Is this to your liking, lover?" Eric said quietly, in a voice laced with hopefulness and passion.

In response, I slipped the sleeves of my silk dress over my shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Standing there in the royal blue lace bra and panties that I had expressly worn to match the dress, along with my pumps that I hadn't bothered to take off, I let Eric stare. I wasn't coming any closer to the bed just yet.

"Is this to _your_ liking Eric?" I said mischievously. Eric's eyes were on fire and his fangs were fully extended. It may have been to his liking, but he was staying put. Apparently, our little game was exciting to us both.

"Your turn" I said to Eric, and he immediately removed his jeans and left me to gawk at his six and a half feet of pure perfection laid bare save for the grey boxers. He ran a hand through his long hair to get the loose strands out of his eyes, the muscles in his arm rippling as he did so. _Oh. My. God._ After a moment or two, he looked at me expectantly and didn't need to remind me it was now my turn.

Instead of taking anything off, however, I simply ran my fingers under one of the straps of my bra and let it fall, exposing just a little of my nipple. Sensing his approval of my method, I then ran my hand over my stomach and down to the top of my panties. Slipping my hand inside, I became aware of just how ready for Eric I truly was. Wet and excited, a let a finger run over my nub and gasped at how hard it was. Seeing this was enough to make Eric jump from the bed and grab me. _I win._ I thought wickedly to myself. In seconds, I was on Eric's bed and he had lost his boxers and I my shoes.

"Sookie, I…" Eric started to say while kissing my neck and mouth and arms and stomach.

"I know Eric, me too." I replied in a whisper while taking off my bra and pulling off my panties. I did not want this pair ripped so I quickly removed them myself. His joy resounded through the bond at my comment and sent his hands and mouth into a frenzy as though he wanted to touch all of me at once. Running my hands through his hair and bucking my hips against him, we soon became too excited to delay any longer.

"Look at me, lover" said Eric, and as soon as I did, he thrust into me with such force that I nearly came immediately. _Oh EricEricEricyesyeysyesyesyes. Oh Eric I missed you yes._ Holding my face in his hands and moaning a low growling moan, Eric kept pushing himself into me as deep as he could go while looking directly in my eyes. We had both waited so long for this that I knew it would be quick and intense. _Oh yes Eric oh yes. Oh Eric yes. _Just when I was about to release, I tilted my head and exposed my neck to him in anticipation. At the last possible second, he pulled out from inside me and bit. I screamed his name in total ecstasy while I grabbed his bottom and pulled him back in but deeper. Watching me come while looking at him had pushed him over the edge; another thrust and he collapsed on top of me. Basking in the aftershocks, I ran my fingers over his back and kissed him for all I was worth.

"That was…" I started to say.

"Yes it was" he finished, while wrapping me up in his arms.

"Eric, I'm sorry…I…didn't even know I was supposed to be missing you until now." I said, stroking his arms and breathing in his scent.

"Don't say you're sorry lover, it is I who should be apologizing to you. But, as you said earlier, tonight is for feeling each other again, for touching, for loving. We have a lot to talk about, but let's wait until tomorrow." He said, with sincerity and kindness in his voice.

I couldn't see anything wrong with that and so instead I kissed him. First on the mouth, then on the neck, and then all the way down his gorgeous Viking chest. As I got lower, I noticed he was already hard again.

"Shall I continue, Mr. Northman?" I asked, almost in a purr.

"Oh yes, Miss Stackhouse. Only, turn this way" he said, positioning me in such a way that I was facing away from him, "so that I might reciprocate. I seem to recall this being a rather enjoyable experience for us both."

It was. And then we slept like the dead.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 2

I awoke in a tangle of sheets and Eric's limbs, completely disoriented. It was so dark in the room that I couldn't even guess at what time it was, or how long I had been sleeping. After we had finished getting to know each other again, Eric had blown out the candles and closed the curtains of his canopy bed. When he got back in and snuggled with me under his thick and heavy blankets, I instantly felt safer than I had ever felt before. This bed was our little impenetrable fortress; pitch black, warm, utterly disheveled and perfect. As I waited for my eyes to adjust, I peeked through the curtains looking for a digital clock. _Wow, 5:15 pm_. Eric would be waking up any minute. I didn't feel right exploring his home for the first time without him, but I had to pee so bad it didn't matter. I hoped the master bathroom was attached to his room. I didn't notice it last night, but then last night I didn't notice anything other than Eric and his bed. Carefully stepping down to the floor, it was so dark I couldn't see what may or may not have been strewn about; I walked towards the door to his room expecting a light switch on the wall nearby. I found one, and suddenly the room was filled with the same dim light that had emanated from his chandelier. Eric's entire house was about setting a mood. Even though he said that no human woman had ever been here, the thought that he lived in a veritable sex palace seemed to contradict him. Instantly I felt a little pang of jealousy. Irrational, I know.

It took me all of three seconds to find the bathroom now that my tunnel vision was no longer. To the far left of the bed was a door which led to a very impressive bathroom nearly as big as his room. I was in my glory. One half of the bathroom was dedicated to a stand up shower in which small nozzles and showerheads were lined up and down the entire granite wall for a full-body steaming and cleansing effect. The opposite shower wall was made of a single pane of glass. I had never seen anything like it and was positively giddy at the thought of my inevitable shower with Eric when he woke up. The other half consisted of a large tub built into the wall and tiled in the same granite as the inside of the shower, with lots of jets and room for two. There was also a toilet, sink, mirror and a few shelves but those things seemed inconsequential. This bathroom was not for its functionality but for pleasure. I wanted to wake Eric up now because it seemed unfair to enjoy any of this without him. The shower was, after all, where everything started between us. Everything sexual, that is. _Oh boy._ _He can meet me here, I'm getting in. _I glanced in the mirror at the sad state my hair was in and I figured it was necessary. Turning on the shower and noting some clean towels folded up on the shelf, I opened the door and stepped in. I quickly discovered that heaven was a place in Eric's bathroom.

"Miss me, lover?" Eric had gotten in behind me and I didn't even notice until he spoke.

"Eric, I want to move into your shower. I'm never leaving." I said, leaning back onto his body as he rubbed his soapy hands all over my stomach and arms.

"I hoped you would feel that way Sookie. I have spent many nights imagining you in this shower with me. I didn't, however, expect to find you in it without me." He said with a deep and hearty laugh.

"I'm sorry Eric, I couldn't help myself. Anyway I just got in so you didn't miss anything." I said, blushing.

He simply continued chuckling as he lathered my body, with his arms wrapped around me from behind.

"I think we need to talk before we make love again" Eric whispered into my neck as he washed me.

My jaw dropped open. These were not the words of a Viking vampire standing naked behind you in his shower.

"I'd like to discuss what I mentioned last night in the car, about going away for a few days. There are a lot of things we need to get out in the open, dear one, many topics to sort out. I would suggest staying here but we really need to be alone with as few distractions as possible." Eric said, kissing my cheek gently.

I could feel his apprehension through the bond, Eric the 1000 year old vampire was anxious about our impending conversation. I didn't want to hurt him, but everything was coming on a little quickly and I was getting overwhelmed.

"I know we need to talk, Eric, but will it really take that long? You know I hate asking Sam for time off with such short notice, if it isn't an emergency." I said, turning to face him. There was sadness in his eyes, sadness and a little gleam of irritation.

"This is important Sookie. As much as I hate to say so, the shifter cares about your well being. If you tell him the truth, he will grant you the time off. I won't even have to intervene."

Eric was, of course, completely right. Sam had indicated to me more than once that he was concerned about my happiness. Lately, he had said, I was distant and totally task driven as opposed to my usual friendly self. Sam was tired of my life being so entangled with vamp politics, but he also knew how important Eric was to me and me to him. Hadn't he called Eric a few weeks back when I was so upset with Jason? If taking a few days off meant resolving my relationship with Eric, Sam would allow it without batting an eyelash. I had no argument, except my own reservations about being alone with Eric for so long. I couldn't really tell him that, so I didn't know what to say at all.

"You've been quiet for some time now, Sookie. Have you come to a decision?" Eric asked.

"I'll call Sam after the dinner rush. First I'd like to know where you intend to take me and exactly how long you think we'll need." I said firmly, showing him I wasn't just going to bend to his will automatically.

"You are already off tomorrow, so I think asking for an extra three days will suffice. As to where we'll be going, I'll need to make a few arrangements before I disclose that information. Let's just say that I think it will appeal to you. Now, do I have your consent?" Eric asked, looking at me impatiently but with evident affection.

"Alright, but you'll need to take me to my car so I can go home and pack. I think I'd rather talk to Sam in person as well, instead of calling. Are we leaving tonight?" I asked with resignation. Eric wasn't going to let up and I guess we had to get this stupid conversation over with.

"Lover, don't sulk. You might actually find that you enjoy this little vacation. Yes, we will leave tonight. I will drive you to get your things and to talk to Sam, I'd rather not let you out of my sight. While you are packing, I will organize everything." Eric said, with just a little excitement in his voice.

I had spent one night with Eric and he was already taking complete control. I don't know why I expected any differently, perhaps it was because I took the first step by showing up at Fangtasia, but it frustrated me that I couldn't say no. Not only was he going to take me to some secret location, tonight, he wasn't going to let me drive myself home to pack. I know that being in control came naturally to Eric, and I didn't really want to argue with him about it, but I had spent the last three weeks completely alone and managed fine. He hadn't gone so far as to call me _his_, but already he had indicated that he didn't want to leave me alone long enough to get ready for the trip. If we were going to have a big long conversation, then by God he was going to know how I felt about being treated like a child. Suddenly I realized that if I could feel his enthusiasm through the bond, he could probably feel my irritation. I decided to relax and see what happens. _ He wants to take me away for a few days, I should be happy. _

"Well I guess we have to leave your magnificent shower and get going." I said, trying to lighten my mood so as not to dishearten him.

"Yes lover, but first let me kiss you" said Eric, raising my mouth to meet his lips. "I'm pleased that you have decided to yield to me at last. We will come to an understanding very soon, and then we can revisit my magnificent shower. Rest assured that there will be much less talk when we do."

As Eric turned off the taps and went to the shelf for towels, I couldn't help but smile.

* * * * *

Merlotte's was slammed with patrons. If last night had been unusually dead, then tonight was unusually busy. I was glad I had been working time-and-a-half for the last few weeks; otherwise I imagine Sam would have called me in to help. As I approached the bar, I saw him smile with obvious relief.

"Sookie, I don't know why you're here but I am very happy to see you. Every section is full, Arlene called in sick, and we're way behind on orders. I wasn't going to call you, but since you're here would you mind helping out for a few hours? I know it's your first night off in weeks, but I'll owe you one." Sam said all this in one breath while filling a pitcher of beer. He was desperate, and I couldn't remember the last time he had actually asked _me_ for a favor. It was the least I could do. Eric was going to kill me.

"Actually Sam, I came here to ask you if I could take a few extra days off. Eric wanted me to go away with him for a little while. You know, to sort things out." I said, embarrassed.

Sam looked at me as though he had been struck with a mallet. I couldn't tell if he was mad at me, hurt that I hadn't agreed to help, or just plain surprised.

"Sookie, any other time I would agree. You know I would. It's just that right now we're completely full and I really don't have time to talk about this. Will you help us out or not?" Sam said, in a strangely cold and authoritative voice.

"Of course I will. But if I work tonight, can I have the next five days off? I was supposed to be off today and tomorrow anyway." I pointed out, my voice quivering.

"Fine, Sookie, whatever. Just go help Holly by taking over Arlene's section. I've been trying to give her a hand, but it is hard when I also have to tend bar." He glared at me. With a wave of his hand, I knew the conversation was over. I really needed to explain the situation to Eric, who was waiting outside, but Sam would be pissed if he saw me leave the bar after the talk we just had. I had to hustle drinks, and fast. Holly seemed to be losing steam with every step and I hadn't seen the bar this busy in months. As fast as I could manage, I ran back to Sam's office and changed into the spare uniform I left for emergencies. By the time I made it over to Arlene's section to relieve Holly, I noticed Eric was sitting at the bar with a deadly expression on his face. I could feel his overwhelming anger through the bond and I couldn't go over to him until I had been to all my tables. He was staring at me with such intensity that I wanted to run over to him and explain everything, but that wouldn't be fair to Sam. _Great, this is just great._ I had successfully angered two of the most important men in my life in the last five minutes and it wasn't even my fault. I wasn't one to pout, but I really didn't like this sudden turn of events.

It took nearly two hours to get everyone caught up, by which time I noticed that Eric was drinking a True Blood and giving Sam a look of pure loathing. This did nothing to improve my mood, and, I imagined, it did nothing to improve Sam's. I walked up to the bar and braced myself for the inevitable argument the three of us were about to have, regardless of the huge crowd at Merlotte's. Sam didn't like my attachment to Eric, Eric didn't like my loyalty to Sam, and I didn't like their protectiveness over me as though I were a possession as opposed to a person.

"Before either of you speak, I have something to say. Eric, I didn't know tonight was going to be packed and Sam asked me for a simple favor. He never asks for anything so it was the least I could do. If I had known that you wanted to spend a few days with me sooner, this might not have happened."

Eric looked positively stricken and I could feel his anger, now combined with a little grief, flow through the bond. He was about to speak, but I interrupted him.

"Sam, you're the one who has been telling me to sort my personal life out because it was affecting my work. I was supposed to be off tonight and I came here to ask a favor which would allow me to do just that. You needed my help and I agreed, but you have been short with me since I got here and I'm just not in the mood. You're all caught up; I'm going home to pack. Okay?"

My tone of voice and expression indicated that it wasn't really a question, but Sam was still my boss. When he saw that I was finished talking, he simply nodded. Eric's mood instantly lifted, and his expression became somewhat smug.

"Thank you Sam, I really appreciate it. I'll be back in to work next Friday." I wasn't going to apologize for my outburst; sometimes you just had to stand up for yourself. I still had my manners, though. I smiled at him and waved as Eric and I left the bar. Sam looked blown away. _Well, he would get over it. _As I left the bar, I couldn't help but wonder if Eric's anger had contributed to my need to give them both a piece of my mind. _I guess it's too late to worry about that now. _At least Eric had the good sense to stay quiet as we walked through the parking lot to his car. It was just after 9:00pm and I still had to pack. I wasn't sure if Eric had proceeded with arrangements while I was serving or not, but I wasn't going to ask him until I calmed down. As we pulled into my driveway and came to a stop, Eric looked at me and leaned over to kiss my cheek.

"You are an amazing woman, Sookie Stackhouse, and we are going to have a wonderful time together." Eric said with sincerity.

Looking into his eyes and letting all my frustration drain away, I knew that I believed him.

TBC – This is my first attempt at fanfiction so all comments or criticisms are appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 3

The next few hours passed in a flurry of activity. As soon as I fully realized that I had five days off, _five whole days, _I became totally and completely gleeful. I couldn't remember the last time I had taken a vacation. Whenever I asked for time off work it was because I was summoned by the vamps for my telepathic ability, or disability, depending on your point of view.

Eric had decided to stay on the porch to make some phone calls, while I went inside to pack and tell my roommates about the upcoming trip. Amelia and Octavia had been both excited for me and visibly relieved that I was taking a holiday. I guess they had sensed the fact that I was unhappy and wanted, like everyone else, for me to figure out if I really loved Eric or not.

I still didn't know where we were going, but since Eric hadn't given me specific instructions, I packed a little of everything and hoped it would be enough. _Oh who am I kidding_? I packed just about all I owned into three suitcases and even borrowed some dresses and shoes from Amelia. On my last trip, to Rhodes, I hadn't brought nearly enough. _In retrospect it was a good thing I hadn't, as I would have lost it all, but still_. I was determined to be prepared for whatever Eric was planning. In fact, I was determined to look damn good no matter what the occasion. All things considered, I had earned this time off and I sincerely hoped that I wouldn't be spending the whole trip arguing with Eric. I knew some disagreements were inevitable, of course, but I needed a break.

By the time I was finished packing and had said my goodbyes, Eric was leaning against his Corvette with a huge grin. Presumably, whatever plans he needed to make had worked out and he was ready to go. He took one look at me trying the drag three suitcases at once and started laughing.

"Sookie, we're only going away for five days. If you want to move in with me, however, I would be glad to bring two of your three suitcases to my house for safekeeping." Said Eric, as he grabbed my luggage and stored it all in his car with a quick wink. I ignored the remark about moving in.

"My new rule is to be prepared for anything, and that starts with how I pack. Actually, that maybethe motto for the Boy Scouts. Either way, no matter where you take me I will have an outfit that suits the occasion." I said with pride. "I haven't been on vacation, in, well, years." I added sheepishly.

"It's amusing to see you so excited, lover. We must hurry though, to catch our plane. I had Pam pack my things and she is waiting for us to pick it up at Fangtasia. As it is already 10:30pm, and our plane leaves at 12:15pm, we don't have much time." Eric said, opening the car door for me.

"Where are you taking me Eric, will you please just tell me now?" I demanded.

"I was going to, but have decided against it. I would much rather see the look of surprise on your face when we get there. I think it will be…what is the expression? Oh yes, priceless."

I had to wonder why that last comment instilled a feeling of dread.

*****

Eric's maniac driving got us to Fangtasia in record time. Having called ahead to tell Pam we were on the way, I wasn't surprised to see her standing in the parking lot with Eric's suitcase. If it annoyed her to be Eric's bellboy, she gave no indication of it. In fact, she seemed thrilled to see us and to be somehow involved in our going-away plans.

"Sookie, you're looking just rosy tonight." Pam said, kissing my cheek and running a fingernail over my neck jokingly.

I fought the urge to tell her that she looked like the little girl in frills who smiled while concealing a switchblade behind her back. She probably would have considered it a compliment. I thanked her politely instead. She then turned to Eric and bowed slightly, at which he nodded his head. _Vampires._

"Is everything settled, Pam? " Eric asked.

"Yes. I had to pull a few strings…but it's all taken care of." Pam was clearly very pleased with herself.

"Excellent. We must go; see to it that I'm not disturbed" Eric said, motioning to his cell phone "except under _dire_ circumstances."

Eric and Pam exchanged a cryptic glance, before Pam blew me a kiss and we got back in the car.

"Bring him home in one piece, Sookie." Pam called as we drove away. Eric scowled and turned on the radio.

* * * * *

We arrived at the airport just before midnight. As though entirely choreographed, a valet appeared out of nowhere to park Eric's car and an airport attendant arrived to take our luggage. I had never heard of an airport valet, but then I wasn't much of a traveler. I considered listening in on his thoughts, to find out if he knew where we were going, but decided against it.

"Mr. Northman? Miss Stackhouse?" An attendant asked, walking towards us.

Eric gave him an impatient expression and nodded.

"Your plane is ready. Right this way." I blinked in response.

"Did he just say _your plane_?" I asked, incredulous.

"I called in a favor." Eric replied simply, as though this sort of thing happened to him every day.

"Some favor" I muttered to myself. Eric must have heard me of course, as vampires have excellent hearing, but he said nothing. I felt a small flush of pride flow through the bond and had to smile. Eric was pulling out all the stops for our little trip and he was trying to act nonchalant about it. If he could get a private jet, with what, four hours notice, someone owed him big time.

We were led to the tarmac hurriedly by the attendant; being the only passengers didn't mean the pilot would wait all night I supposed. We quickly found our plane, a small Cessna. It didn't look like much from the outside, but was absolute luxury on the inside. There was ample room for about six people, I figured, and completely stocked for any occasion. A wide black leather couch hugged the walls of the plane, and each section had the option to individually recline. There was a huge flat screen television on one end of the plane and a fully stocked bar on the other. At first glance, I could see a bottle of champagne on ice, and a covered tray which I presumed was full of hors d'oeuvres. There was also a pole in the middle of the floor. _Oh my God that's a stripper pole._ Whoever usually flew on this plane must have liked to party.

At that moment, the pilot came out of the cockpit to speak with Eric about the safety features of the plane. After a few simple instructions, he told us to enjoy the flight which he said would take approximately five hours. That would barely give us enough time, I calculated, to check into a hotel before sunrise. Eric was taking an awful risk; I felt, by travelling without his coffin. I suddenly had to fight to suppress a terrible feeling of nausea as I contemplated what I would be able to do if something went wrong. Sensing my anxiety, Eric sat by my side and held my hand.

"Sookie, you can relax. A vampire owns this plane. He keeps a spare coffin in the cargo area and it is easily accessible to me if we are delayed or if something should go wrong. I want you to enjoy yourself; you are travelling in style my lover." He then stood up and touched the stripper pole. "Besides, I know how you love to dance and I thought that you might entertain me with a little show after a glass or two of champagne." Eric said, looking into my eyes with a smoldering intensity.

"Eric I am not your entertainment." I said, punching him in the arm. He actually chuckled and pretended to be hurt.

"You are a hard hearted woman. All I wanted was a little dance. At least let me pour you some champagne? It's supposed to be exquisite." His eyes glinted with playfulness and I couldn't pass it up.

"Thank you Eric that would be lovely." I said, my excitement building once again.

He walked over to the bar and it occurred to me that I wasn't sure what would taste better, Eric or the champagne. I watched him pick up the bottle and handle it delicately; it must have cost a fortune. A gentle shake and then _pop! _The cork sailed through the cabin of the plane and Eric looked positively delighted. Seeing a 6'5 Viking vampire thrilled over something so small was quite funny, but then Eric always found amusement in little things. I instantly felt warmth spread through me at the thought of spending time with Eric away from the stress and politics of the new regime. Instead of waiting for him to bring me the champagne flute, I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind.

"I'm glad you invited me to come on this trip." I said into his back. I sent my feelings of appreciation and calm through the bond and instantly felt him relax.

"It took a long time for me to ask." Eric said with a hint of sadness. "I'm very pleased you accepted."

With that, Eric turned around and kissed me full on the lips. It was a gentle and loving kiss, with no other intentions than simply to share his contentment. After a long moment in his arms, he pulled away and passed me my glass. I noticed that he had poured some True Blood in a second champagne flute for himself. Raising his glass, he said: "To times like this" and drained it.

"To times like this" I replied, draining my own glass, _and more. _I added silently to myself.

TBC – This is my first attempt at fanfiction so all comments or criticisms are appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 4

As Eric had predicted, by the end of my second glass of champagne I was ready to dance. I'm not much of a drinker, and I had polished the first glass in one swig at 35000 feet. The cabin lights had dimmed to almost complete darkness, and the television was set to a jazz music channel. Earlier today Eric had indicated that he didn't want to make love again until after we had our big talk. Looking around the luxury jet and taking in the atmosphere made it extremely hard to comply.

When I had packed my things back in Bon Temps, I had decided on wearing a knee-length lacy black skirt with a small slit up the right leg, and a burgundy halter top, for the trip. _Sexy with class_ had been my goal for the ensemble when I put it together. Alone on a plane with Eric Northman, it quickly became _business woman performing a strip tease_. You can't blame a girl for wanting to have a little fun while taking the redeye to an undisclosed location, especially not if she's a little tipsy and sharing the plane with a Viking Adonis.

Eric was watching me so intently that I thought his gaze would set me to flames. Peter Elkas' song, _Turn out the Lights_ came on over the speakers. If it hadn't been one of the most sexually charged situations I had ever been in I might have found it a little silly, but it wasn't. It was hot hot hot. I matched my hips and body to the slow rhythm of the song as I danced around the cabin of the plane, occasionally holding the pole for support. During the chorus, I walked over to Eric and did a slow grind, sometimes turning my face to him to lightly lick his cheek. With every movement I made, I could feel Eric's body tensing with the frustration of trying to remain seated and not touch me. He had made up his mind about having sex; there would be none of it until we cleared the air. Well, after all the frustration he had put me through I wasn't about to feel guilty for taking back a little control. Besides, you try listening to the song and not wanting to shimmy around a little. Enjoying myself immensely, I went over to Eric and climbed on to his lap, wrapping my legs around him while running my hands through my hair and grinding to the music. Eric was exercising every ounce of self-discipline he had, I could tell. His arousal was evident, and if he could breathe he would most certainly be panting. His eyes regarded me with both terrible, painful wanting and utter fascination.

"Sookie, I am going to fuck you blind." Eric said into my ear, his hands still at his sides and his lips an inch away from me. "I am going to do things to you that you can't imagine." He continued. "But do not think you will make me touch you when I have decided not to. It is a game you cannot win, lover."

Eric's erection was pounding against me and I was absolutely dying, _ha-ha,_ to take every inch of his glorious self inside of me. I had already won, if you ask me, our desire for each other was incredible and there was nothing on my mind in the entire world besides Eric. Maybe I didn't know much about sex, but the buildup was phenomenal. Something had shifted between Eric and me since last night; I suspected that my physical education was only just beginning. It's like I didn't know myself until Eric had started to teach me about the raw beauty and hunger and pleasure in the anticipation of touch. Bill may have been my first, but Eric was every other number to infinity. The song ended and so I got up from Eric's lap, slowly and with much effort, to find the bottle of champagne. Eric wanted me to enjoy myself and I was going to.

"Eric, you said you will not touch me, and that we won't have sex until the talk. You said nothing about me touching you. Do you agree to let me have a little fun?" I asked, walking towards him with the champagne bottle in hand.

"I see you are trying to torment me, dear one. I will obey you, but I feel I should warn you that you are…biting off more than you can chew. You may come to regret this." Eric said evenly. He stared at me for a long moment with an inscrutable expression, before finally allowing me to see that he wasn't really mad, just agonizingly aroused and determined.

"I want you to take off your shirt, and lie back on the couch." I said, savoring every minute of my newfound power.

He took off his shirt with such deliberate movements that I could tell he was trying to compete with me for control. I wouldn't allow it. _Time to bring out the big guns, _I thought to myself. I walked over to Eric, and once again straddled him but this time propped myself up on my knees. Tipping the champagne bottle slightly, I let a tiny stream drip onto his bare neck. As it ran down his stomach, I arched my back so that I might meet the running champagne with my tongue. I licked his neckline, and then ran my mouth to his nipple and sucked, biting gently the way he liked. At this, Eric actually started to shake a little. Evidently, the strength it took for him to control himself was getting much more severe. I sent feelings of pride, lust and smugness through the bond.

"Take that, Sheriff." I whispered into his lower abdomen. Looking up, I noticed that his fangs were fully extended and his pupils were alarmingly dilated. He was looking more and more like a hungry, horny vampire and less like a gentleman under control. I had never seen him so worked up and that was saying something.

"Lover, you are hurting me far worse right now than anything I would intentionally do to you." He said, lifting my head so that his mouth was just millimeters from mine.

"You just can't handle losing control." I said in furious retort.

"No, I can't." He replied, while kissing me and instantly flipping me over so that I lay on my back with him on top of me. "I have never suffered so much for a woman in my entire 1000 years." He said, his fangs grazing my neck. "But I will not fuck you again" he paused, looking at me "or bite you" he continued miserably "until I know you are truly mine."

With that, he leapt off me and walked over to the bar for a True Blood. The pilot's voice came over the intercom, announcing that we had landed. I hadn't even noticed the descent.

"Mr. Northman and Miss Stackhouse" the pilot said "welcome to Honolulu."

Eric turned to look at me expectantly. The expression on my must have face proven him absolutely right. _Priceless._

TBC – This is my first attempt at fanfiction so all comments or criticisms are appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 5

Eric didn't feel the need to say anything to me as we disembarked from the plane and walked to the terminal. The pilot had indicated that an attendant would take our luggage and store it in the cab which was waiting; Eric had contacted a specialized luxury taxi service which catered to the unusual and sometimes complicated wishes of the vampires. As soon as we left the airport, our driver was waiting at the front doors and recognized us as his passengers without having to say a word. _Strange. _After a simple gesture which indicated that he already had our luggage, he opened the doors to his limo and ushered us inside. The interior was pitch-dark, making it difficult for me to see, and again I registered the opaque glass which I've now come to expect as the norm for accommodating vamps. I wondered how the driver could see the road. Looking at my watch, I realized that it was 5:30am. At best, we had an hour and a half to sunrise. Eric had really taken his chances by organizing such a late flight; I instantly felt a pang of guilt at having set him back by over two hours while I served at the bar. I felt another pang of guilt for having seduced him to the point of actually upsetting him, when all he was trying to do was sort out our complicated relationship and respect our boundaries until then. Eric had taken me to Hawaii, for God's sake, and he couldn't even enjoy the sun. He did it all for me, knowing I had never been to the tropics and always wanted to go.

Imagining the ocean and sand that awaited me during his daytime rest, I had never felt so ashamed.

* * * * *

"Sookie, wake up. We've arrived at the hotel and I need you conscious while we check-in. We don't have time to waste right now, it's very nearly sunrise." Eric said, giving my shoulder a gentle tug.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Eric! I must have dozed off." I stammered, pulling myself together and following Eric into the hotel.

"Our luggage is on its way to our room, but I wanted you awake to get your key and to figure out your bearings. You will undoubtedly rise before me, and I didn't want you confused about where we were." Eric said, leading me through the lobby to the front desk.

"We are in a vampire-exclusive hotel that belongs to an old business associate of mine and Pam's. You might even call him a friend. He opened this resort shortly after we went public, and I haven't had a chance to visit him until now. Pam wanted to come along, but someone needed to look after the bar" said Eric, regarding me with a fatigued kind of excitement "and I told her that this was meant for pleasure, not business." He finished, making sure I knew he could have profited in some way from this trip but elected not to.

For Eric, or any vampire for that matter, he had basically just delivered a monologue. Clearly we were in the establishment of someone important to Eric, and that was making him giddy. As happy as I was to be in Hawaii, something told me that my 'be prepared' motto would probably come in handy. Eric's intentions seemed pure enough, but I hadn't managed to survive these last two years without being a little suspicious. I looked around me dazedly. We were in the lobby of a five-star vampire hotel called The Nighthouse and it wasn't just a clever name. To walk around this place literally felt like 'experiencing the night' as Pam had eloquently said to me some time ago. From the beautifully enchanted fountain which sprung navy-colored water filled with tiny stars, to the tinted windows which were inlaid to represent the constellations, this hotel had been built for those who are infatuated with moonlight. It was the most incredible thing I had ever seen, and I was only half awake. I could tell that Eric sympathized with my exhaustion; his sluggishness permeated the bond. I suspected that he would topple over the bed in our room without even removing his clothes.

After receiving our keys from a clerk at the front desk, a shifter of some sort I thought, Eric and I made our way through to the elevator. Our room was on the 13th floor, the top level. Most hotels nowadays didn't even have a 13th floor for superstitious reasons, but vampires didn't hold to human convention. We were staying in a suite at a luxury hotel and I didn't feel the least bit unlucky.

As we approached the door to our room, I sent all remnants of my energy to Eric through the bond. I wanted a kiss goodnight but right now he was more like a zombie than a vampire and I couldn't say that I blamed him. I slid my key through the reader and opened the door. Eric had booked us a palace for the vacation, not a room. Grabbing his arm and pulling him inside, I walked to the window to check out the view. The entire back wall of our suite, which was quite an impressive expanse, was made of a strange glass which left the room in total darkness but allowed crystal clear visibility of the beach and ocean below. Before I could explore the room any further I felt Eric reach for my hand and pull me to the bed, while shucking his clothes into a heap on the floor. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

* * * * *

I awoke, for the second time in a row, totally disoriented. I knew it must be late in the day, considering the ungodly hour at which I went to bed, but the room's brightness hadn't changed in the slightest. Obviously that was a good thing for Eric, but for us human folk it was confusing as hell. Adapting myself to the idea that I would be keeping vampire hours for the better part of a week, I rolled over and looked at the clock. 4:45pm and I had a debilitating headache. _I'm never drinking again_, I thought darkly. I guess the sun will have to wait until tomorrow. Eric would be awake in approximately one hour, which gave me some time to make a pot of coffee, take a shower and order breakfast. Or was it lunch? I stretched and looked over at Eric sleeping peacefully. _How could I have doubted my feelings?_ I wasn't necessarily ready to talk about them with Eric, but deep down I knew that I would never have agreed to the trip if I didn't love him. Seeing him lying there, vulnerable and serene, I felt like an idiot for ever letting him go. _Okay Sookie, time to pull yourself out of bed and get ready for the day._ Or evening, depending on how you looked at it.

In my fully conscious state, I got to appreciate the magnificence of the room for the first time. It was around the size of the ground floor of my house, and as I noticed last night, the back wall was made entirely of some kind of miracle glass. We had slept in a king sized sleigh bed with oversized feather pillows and a down feather comforter. The floor was hardwood, which I thought strange for a hotel, but it was almost exotic in appearance. On a raised area to the far left of the room was a large hot tub. To the right were a series of high end couches and chairs; and to the far right was the bathroom. Before checking _that_ out, I needed to order some lunch. I was absolutely starving and I hoped they served decent food. Eric had said that the hotel was vampire exclusive, but surely that included their human guests? Walking over to the nightstand I found a small and artfully designed menu. The selection was relatively limited, but everything looked delicious. Since I couldn't figure out what mealtime this actually was, I decided on brunch and ordered the whole shebang; eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, fruit, coffee and juice. I was definitely on vacation. I dialed the front desk and asked for room service. As I was placing my order I got an idea. Eric had said that he wouldn't bite me, or feed from me, until after our conversation and he was going to wake up hungry. Since he was paying for everything and we were staying in a five-star hotel, the least I could do was provide him with some kind of treat. I decided to order him the best blood the hotel offered and pay for it separately. I was told everything would arrive in an hour, which gave me just enough time to get cleaned up. Hanging up the phone, I got a huge rush of excitement.

The bathroom, though not comparing to Eric's, was no less spectacular than the rest of the suite. It had an antique tub and a large shower with a tiled bench inside to sit on. Grabbing my toiletries from the cosmetic bag in my suitcase, I hopped in the shower to get ready to see Eric. I couldn't wait for him to wake up and I was getting dressed as quickly as I could manage so that everything was set up when he awoke. I styled my hair in big, sensuous curls and chose a simple white cotton dress with a fitted top which highlighted my tan and my breasts nicely. Pleased with myself for packing everything I owned, I chose a pair of straw thong sandals for my feet and a small white gold anklet I had had for years. Satisfied with my evening beach wear, I checked my watch. Five minutes and the food should be arriving; five minutes until Eric woke up. Then there was a gentle knock at the door, room service was here.

"Miss Stackhouse?" The server asked.

"Yes." I replied excitedly, walking out into the hallway with my key in hand. I was definitely not about to let a stranger in the room while Eric slept, no matter how fancy the hotel.

"Your order" said the young man, gesturing to the food and a curious looking crystal decanter filled with blood. "I was told that you wished to pay for this meal separately. Would you like to do so now Miss, or upon checkout?" The server asked with a sneer.

"Now, please. I would like to pay with cash."

The server looked at me disapprovingly and raised an eyebrow. I fought the urge to read his mind. I had decided some time ago that I would absolutely not intrude on people's thoughts unless I really needed to. He wasn't broadcasting, so it wasn't difficult to suppress the images.

"That will be two hundred and sixty three dollars, fifty seven cents." He said with a holier-than-thou grin. "We couldn't get anything from the Royal line on such short notice of course" he continued "but we would be glad to place some on order in hopes of procuring it in a few days time. What you see before you is our house blend of AB negative donor blood, and second generation fae. It comes highly recommended I assure you."

It took every ounce of dignity I had not to tell him to take his house blend and stick it where the sun didn't shine. Instead, I pulled out the necessary amount of cash from my purse and paid him. _So much for souvenirs._

"Don't bother with the Royal just yet." I said as he walked away. "I'll have to discuss it with Mr. Northman and see if he'd prefer the real thing." I added pompously. If he could be a snob, so could I. Forget manners, this guy was a jerk.

Collecting myself and slipping the key in the lock, I went back into the room with pride. I had done something lavish for Eric, for once, and I was dying to see his reaction.

* * * * *

Eric was awake and sitting up on the bed when I stepped in with the room service cart. He instantly looked totally ecstatic to see me and downright thrilled to be alive. _Well, thrilled to be dead. Ha-ha. _An inquiring expression came over him as he scanned the cart and noticed the crystal decanter and matching snifter.

"What is _this _dear one?" Eric asked, running a finger over the rim of the decanter and smelling the air appreciatively.

"Well, it's your breakfast, Eric. I never get the opportunity to do anything like this for you." I said anxiously. "I hope you like it?" I hadn't been this nervous about a gift, well, ever.

"Pray tell me you charged this to the room?" He said, as though the alternative would be too foolish to consider.

"Actually, I paid for it up front. I meant it as a thank-you for taking me on this vacation." I said, noticeably stung.

"Lover, I meant for you to incur no costs on this trip" he said quietly "though I am incredibly touched." He finished, while lifting my face to look me in the eyes. I felt his happiness and wonderment through the bond. He kissed me and it warmed me all over.

"I will drink but a little" he said, pouring some gently into the snifter "while you eat your breakfast. Blood of this quality must be thoroughly appreciated, not gorged on." Eric swirled the blood around the glass like a fine wine. He was trying to show me that he realized the expense and appreciated it as a gift, without insulting me by further questioning how I could afford it. I knew it must have been hard for him, and I was thrilled that he accepted my present in the spirit it was offered.

Starving, I pushed the cart over to the table and sat down to eat my breakfast. Eric sat with me and quietly enjoyed the blood while I dug in ravenously. Grinning at the wild abandon with which I ate, Eric looked at me and said "I'm glad to see you are well today, Sookie. After last night, I was worried you might be feeling a little sick." He smirked, pleased with himself.

"If memory serves, Eric, you're the one who wanted me to drink the champagne and dance for you in the first place." I replied, embarrassed.

"You're right, and I'm sure I will think about your little display often. Though I didn't realize you could be so cruel." He was enjoying every minute of this.

"Eric, I feel bad enough already. I'm sorry, okay?" I looked up at him to see the smirk fade and change into a look of disappointment because I wasn't playing along.

"It is not important, lover. We have bigger issues to discuss and only a short period of time to enjoy ourselves. I will need to visit with my colleague at some point this evening, as he undoubtedly knows that I checked in to his hotel before dawn. I will tell you all about him, this establishment, and some plans I have made for us after we have addressed the more pressing topics." He looked at me pointedly and I nodded for him to continue. I was still eating, and he clearly had an agenda to which I might as well submit. He paused from his spiel to take a sip of blood from the snifter, and an expression of total bliss swept over his face. "I must say Sookie; you've very nearly thrown me for a loop by getting me this blood." He lowered his head for a moment, closing his eyes, and when he looked back up his fangs were halfway down.

"Honestly Eric I didn't do it to tease you or seduce..." I started to say and he cut me off.

"Shhh, Sookie. Drinking this simply reminds me of your taste. Now to be sitting with you in our hotel room, having you so close to me, imagining last night. My constitution isn't exactly iron clad when it comes to you and you are making it very difficult for me" he said gravely "though unintentionally in this instance" he finished, thoughtful.

"Perhaps we should leave the room then? We could go somewhere less tempting, more public." I offered lamely.

"No need" Eric said, snapping out of it and walking towards the window "we can't delay our conversation any further. I have been going over this in my mind for many months and I still don't know where to start…" he said, purposely avoiding my gaze by looking out the window "but I think you'd probably like to get a better understanding of our blood bond. Is that correct?" Eric asked, turning around to look at me.

I nodded again and he continued.

"By now you surely know the fundamentals of how it works, and that it doesn't wear out with time. What you and I have is permanent. Whenever I feel an emotion strongly, you will feel it and vice versa. As we saw the night Filipe and I were attacked, the bond can be very useful in alerting one another of danger. On the other hand, it will put you in unnecessary harm." At this, he paused and walked over to me to hold my hand. "While I may never be able to fully demonstrate my gratitude to you for risking your life to save mine, more than once, you must understand that it tortures me to think of you running to my aid whenever I'm in some kind of trouble. I don't want anything bad to ever happen to you again, Sookie."

I had been looking at the floor during his speech, unable to bring myself to look him in the eye. He suddenly dropped my hand, and that simple action made me look up. He was brushing a single blood red tear from his face with one hand while clenching and unclenching his other hand into a fist. He appeared to be on the verge of exploding with emotion and it was so frightening it rendered me speechless. I quickly looked back down at the floor so he wouldn't know I had seen the tear. He started pacing, and I could tell he was struggling to continue. His guilt and anxiety were so heavy through the bond that I physically felt myself sinking into the chair.

"Eric, it wasn't the bond that made me come to you that night at Merlotte's. The bond let me know you were in danger, yes, but I _chose_ to come back and help you. Not because of this stupid blood bond, because I cared about you. I still care" he raised a hand to stop me and I instantly fell silent.

"Please let me finish, dear one. Our feelings for one another have only helped to strengthen the bond, and it has gotten to the point where I can scarcely think of anything other than you. It is not only because of the new regime that I didn't call you this past month, it is because every step I take in your direction is one which weakens my position as sheriff, and ultimately, my ability to protect you. I cannot act, think, or even feel things logically when you are involved. It has become" he paused "difficult to conduct business in this manner."

_So now we're getting to the good stuff._ At least now I knew why he brought me here, he wanted to get some things off his chest, have a little fling, and then cut me out of his life so he could get back to business as usual. His pragmatism never ceased to amaze me.

"Well then I'll make things a lot easier for you Eric. You never have to see me again, call me, leave me notes or worry about my well being. After this trip is over, it'll be like we never met. I wouldn't want to come between you and your _business_." Cold fury was starting to run through my veins and suddenly a wave of nausea hit me. I ran to the bathroom, and lost every single bit of brunch and more. In a flash, Eric was standing beside me with a look of fear on his face.

"Lover, are you alright? Do you need a doctor?" He was genuinely concerned.

I shook my head and got up the wash my face in the sink and rinse my mouth. I could feel him relax a little.

"I'm fine Eric; I just think your last few words may have literally turned my stomach." I gave him a measured look. He seemed completely taken aback.

"Sookie, my darling you misunderstand me completely. What I was trying to say was that the closer we get to each other, the more I put you in danger, which is the last thing in this world I want to do. If it means sacrificing my own happiness to ensure your safety, then there is no question as to what needs to happen. There are many people, and vampires, who would seek to destroy us at every turn." Eric looked at me pleadingly and held my face up so that I was looking directly into his eyes.

With that, his cell started vibrating. Shocked back into reality, Eric looked down at his phone with such terrible anger that I thought he would throw it across the room. Instead, he flipped it open and scrolled down as though reading a message. I could sense confusion in the bond, followed swiftly by outright fear.

"Filipe de Castro has been alerted of my presence in Honolulu. He has construed my vacation here as an attempt to secure alliances with the King of Hawaii, Preston Mandrel. Preston is the acquaintance I mentioned earlier, the owner of this hotel." He looked positively alarmed and more than a little aggrieved.

"Pam and Bill are boarding a plane to Honolulu." Eric said quietly.

I looked up at him and didn't need to ask why.

TBC – Please review, comments and critiques welcomed!! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 6

Eric walked over to the bed and sat down. He looked too stunned to say anything else and I couldn't think of any words of comfort to offer him that wouldn't sound entirely phony. This trip was getting off to a great start. First I get into an argument with Eric and Sam, and then I get drunk and unsuccessfully attempt to seduce Eric. After that I spend three hundred dollars on breakfast, get into another argument and throw up that breakfast, and now there's about to be a vamp war in Hawaii. _ And it's all because we had to have this damn talk_. _I'm never talking again_ I thought stupidly to myself. _If this is what vacationing feels like, give me the split shift at Merlotte's. _Plopping down on the bed next to Eric, I suddenly understood what he had meant when he said that there would forever be someone who sought to hurt us. Whenever Eric and I were together, there was almost always imminent danger. Scratch the almost.

"Eric, I know what you're thinking" I started to say, but Eric cut me off with a wave of his hand.

After a moment or two, he looked at me and said: "I suspected as much, lover. It's another side effect of our particularly strong bond. Since you are already telepathic, I figured that my blood would grant you access to my mind. It was just a matter of time. Don't you see what I'm trying to tell you Sookie? We will never be safe if you give yourself to me." Eric said, grabbing his hair in frustration.

"That's not what I meant, Eric, not at all. I was going to say that you're probably thinking about how this new development is evidence that we shouldn't be together. Maybe it is… but do you want to know what I think? I think we'll both be in danger whether we are together or not. If you have feelings for me, then don't be a coward and ignore me for a month just because you think I'll get hurt! For God's sake Eric, be a man! Be a Viking fucking vampire!" I yelled at him with as much conviction as I could muster. Eric was looking at me in awe, and I could feel his passion and bloodlust begin to vibrate through the bond. So I continued. "And since this may be our day of judgment, I think you need to know that yes, I can read your mind. It comes and goes; I have no control over it. You are the only vampire that I can read, though. After drinking your blood in Rhodes I saw snippets of another vamp's mind, but it only happened that one time." With this, Eric actually leapt off the bed and started smiling like an idiot.

"But Sookie, don't you know what this means?!" He asked, excitedly.

"No, I don't. Please do enlighten me." I said with a hint of sarcasm.

"After we go speak with Preston and alert him of De Castro's arrival, we will come back here to the room and then you will take a considerable amount of my blood." Eric was talking while wandering around in a blur. Whatever he was planning, it looked as though ideas were coming at him non-stop.

"De Castro is going to want to be cautious with Preston, as he is also a King and one who is well guarded in his own hotel. Therefore, when he arrives, he will want to speak with Preston, you, and me together to determine if we all have a common goal before making a move. This is when you will read his mind to discover his plan. If there is anything to worry about, I will feel it through the bond right away and catch him by surprise, before he is able to mount an attack." Eric looked extremely pleased and more than a little fired up. This couldn't be good.

"Okay, Eric, but you're leaving out two very important details." I said.

"And they would be?" Eric asked, unconcerned.

"Well for one, I can't be certain I'll be able to read De Castro's mind. For two, how do you know Preston didn't sell you out to Filipe in the first place? We could be walking into a trap."

Eric pondered this for a moment and said: "Perhaps, but it is very unlikely. I already work for De Castro, so there would be nothing for him or Preston to gain. I think it's much more likely that De Castro fears a revolt from the Kings and Queens in other states with regard to his hostile takeover of Louisiana, and believes that I am here for revenge."

Eric was a politician through and through.

"Well what about the other thing? What if I can't read his thoughts?" I asked impatiently.

"I believe you will be able to." Eric stated simply. You just couldn't argue with him once he's made up his mind. Suddenly, the mood in the room changed completely and Eric was next to me on the bed again, his eyes flaming blue with lust and his fangs fully extended.

"Welcome back, Mr. Northman." I said wryly. Eric roared with laughter and I felt his excitement and his hunger for me surge through the bond.

"Lover, I think we've done enough talking for today, don't you?" He whispered into my neck seductively, pushing me gently so that I was lying down.

"I thought you weren't going to have sex with me until I said I was yours!" I exclaimed in exasperation. And what happened to finding Preston? Don't we have a big scheme to set up?" I asked sternly, though my body was in definite disagreement with my words.

"Oh but Sookie, I'm only doing what you told me to do." Eric said with a wicked grin, biting my neck gently but with clear need.

"What would that be?" I asked, knowing full well that I was playing right into his hand.

"A few minutes ago you told me to be a man. _To be a fucking Viking vampire, _I think you said. So I'm about to show you just manly I am and how much fucking this Viking vampire can do. " With that, Eric ripped my white cotton dress in half.

"Tell me you're mine, lover." Eric commanded me, while pulling off his t-shirt and jeans. In a second, he was naked and his mouth was hovering just above my lips. "Tell me you're mine." He repeated, moaning passionately and pulling off my lingerie.

"I am yours, I am yours, oh Eric I am yours." I screamed at him, while digging my nails into his back and thrusting my hips to his.

"I am yours." Eric said, while moving into a sitting position. Picking me up, he placed me on his lap with my legs wrapped around his back. "Let's try it like this" he said "lean back a little." He slid me onto him with ease, and kept his hands on my waist so as to move me up and down. Letting my head dip back and my hair spill on to the bed, Eric thrust in and out of me with abandon.

"Look at me Sookie" he said, as we were getting close. "Sookie, I love you" he continued "I love you." Flipping me over so that I was laying on my back, Eric bit my breast and thrust one more time as he drank from me.

"I love you too Eric." I replied, and meant it. We came at the exact same second.

* * * * *

The best thing about this situation was everything. Eric and I had reconciled and admitted our feelings for each other, the big talk seemed to be over for the time being, we had made love in our palatial suite, twice, and it was only 9:00pm. The only thing standing in the way of this feeling like a bona fide vacation was the impending doom of an irate vampire King who was flying from Vegas to kill us. And did I mention we made love?

I knew it was time to get out of bed and get ready again. Eric was already up; he has calling his colleague Preston, whom I would probably have to refer to as Your Majesty, to set up a time for the three of us to have dinner in his VIP restaurant and discuss De Castro. It was such an enticing prospect that I had to suppress a second wave of nausea. Eric had told me that dinner would be a formal event, so at least I could look forward to ruining another dress if things went ill with Filipe. Doing some mental math, Eric had anticipated that Bill and Pam would arrive around 1:00am. He wasn't sure when De Castro was arriving, as no one knew when he left Nevada, but I could hear Eric repeat that dinner was set for 10:30pm. Closing his phone with a _click_, Eric came over to the bed and held out his hand for me to stand up.

"Preston assures me we have nothing to worry about, and that he is just _beside himself_ with excitement over getting to meet the infamous telepath." Eric said, rolling his eyes. I could feel his pride emanating from the bond just the same. "You will quickly notice that this King is not like most vampires. Particularly not like those who have risen to positions of high power as Preston has. For lack of a better way to put it, King Mandrel possesses a certain _je ne sais quoi._ You will also notice that his personality is an endless source of amusement to my child Pam." He looked at me and laughed.

I loved talking to Eric about things that weren't life threatening, it was nice to laugh with him. However, I still had to get ready for dinner and drink Eric's blood so we had to get a move on. I told him as much and he agreed.

"Dear one" he said, looking at me for a moment and holding my hands "it has already been a difficult evening for us both and is about to become even more so. Just know that I meant what I said; I love you. I will protect you tonight no matter what the outcome, as will Pam and undoubtedly Bill as well. You have friends here, lover. You have me, from now on." He kissed my hands gently and then walked towards a large set of closet doors. "I have something for you. It was supposed to be a present for the night you finally agreed to be mine. _If_ you finally agreed, that is. Since you made that promise tonight, after a fashion, I would like you to wear it to dinner." Opening the closet, I saw a long black garment bag with Versace stamped on the front. I gasped.

"Eric, you know how I feel about being treated like a kept woman." I said.

"Please do me the honor of accepting this gift." He pleaded, unzipping the bag slowly. It was a floor-length charcoal satin dress with a plunging v neckline and diamond shaped cuts in the sides. It was breathtaking. Behind the dress was Eric's tux, also Versace, with a charcoal tie.

"It is beautiful, thank-you. I've never seen anything like it. Thank you so much." I said, and kissed him.

"You're welcome lover. Now, before we have a shower and get dressed, I think you should take my blood. That way, I can have a few sips of the house blend to replenish myself while you finish getting ready." Before I could protest, Eric had enveloped me from behind and placed his bleeding wrist at my mouth. As soon as I started to suck, Eric became newly aroused and so did I. Much to my surprise, tasting his blood this time was proving to be a total turn on. I sucked at his wrist as hard as I could, then released so I could lick him. I sucked again, and then licked him again. Before long, wetness spread across my back and I heard Eric sigh with contentment.

"Join me in the shower, Eric? I could use a hand." I said mischievously as I walked to the bathroom.

"I wouldn't miss it." Eric said with a small smile.

TBC – Please review, comments and critiques welcomed!! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 7

After a very satisfying shower, I kicked Eric out the bathroom so I could get ready. As he left, Eric had indicated that he would get dressed, drink some blood and then have a little down time until I was ready to go. That was fine by me. The excitement over my new dress, combined with the hoards of endorphins we had released in the last hour, had made me absolutely giddy. If there was one thing I had learned since becoming a member of the supernatural community, was that you had to make the most of every single moment of peace you got. Not just because it may be your last, but because there were so many tiny details and choices which led you to this exact place at this exact time that it would be downright crazy to ignore your luck. Tonight might end in disaster, I thought, but I was going to look my best and have a damn good time until then.

The charcoal gown Eric bought me ran through my fingers like liquid night. It was exactly the kind of dress you would expect to see the guests of Preston's VIP restaurant and five-star hotel wearing on a regular basis. I really loved the concept of a vampire hotel placing such sensuality and beauty with the evening and the stars. If seemed fitting, in Hawaii, wherein all tourists visit for a chance to enjoy the sun, that a prominent vampire should open a hotel which catered to after-hours glamour. I had glanced at a brochure, earlier, and it boasted that The Nighthouse possessed the largest outdoor hot tub in the world, with an incredible view of the ocean and stars. I couldn't wait to relax with Eric in that hot tub, and run along the beach with him at moonlight. I know we had only arrived that morning, and many things had happened since then, but I felt a little cheated that I was in Honolulu and hadn't even stepped outside. _Tomorrow, Sookie, tomorrow you will lay in the sun and drink a Blue Hawaii. Just one, though._ As soon as I thought of the drink, it occurred to me that I hadn't heard any news of Bubba in quite a while. I reminded myself to ask Eric about it later.

I stepped into the dress and held my breath as I zipped up the back. _I hope it fits I hope it fits I hope it fits…_adjusting the straps so that they covered my new black lace bra, and running my hands over my hips to straighten the creases, I turned to look in the mirror. If I had been pale, the dark dress and my blond hair might have made me look vamp-ish. As it was, though, my tan and curves made me look like a movie star. The blood I had taken from Eric gave my skin a faint glow, and all the lovemaking gave my cheeks a rosy and flushed look. I had styled my hair in tousled curls, pinning a few pieces off my face with glittery clips, and the deep v neckline cascaded through my breasts elegantly in a very seductive manner. I had opted for simple pink lip gloss, and a little grey eye shadow for a smoky look. Slipping on a pair of silver-colored ballerina slippers which laced part way up my calves, I was ready to go. The dress was so magnificent on its own that I didn't need a single piece of jewelry. My heart did a little _flip _as I opened to door to show Eric the finished product. He must have sensed my excitement through the bond and assumed I was ready, because when I opened the bathroom door he was waiting for me.

For a full minute Eric just stared at me and didn't say a thing. Then, he came over and traced a finger down the neckline of the dress, and another one over the bare patches of skin on the sides of my waist where the diamond shaped cuts were. Looking at me with pure longing and admiration, he said: "Lover, you look like a queen. This dress was made for you. I am the luckiest vampire in this hotel and everyone will gaze at you in admiration for your beauty and class." His words were laced with love.

"Thank you, Eric. You look amazing yourself." And he did. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to be here with Eric. In his black Versace tux and charcoal tie, he was six and a half feet of pure beauty. I could see the faint outlines of his muscular chest and arms through the suit, the collar of his dress shirt hugged his neck and his artfully disheveled blond hair made him look like a Calvin Klein model. He was playgirl chic and looked ready for a night on the town. I could tell he had indulged a little more than planned on the house blended blood; he too was looking flushed and healthy as I had ever seen him.

"I would like to thank-you again for your gift, Sookie. The AB-/fae blood is wonderful. Not nearly as enchanting as you, of course, but I feel refreshed and excited and hungry for the night." He looked at me, his eyes dancing with devilish bliss, and continued "we will surely cause a scandal tonight." His expression indicated that scandals, particularly ones which included me, were by far his favorite pastime. I sighed, but then giggled a little at his enthusiasm.

"Shall we, my lady?" Eric asked, offering me his arm gallantly.

"We shall." I replied, laughing out loud at our foolish display.

* * * *

I was surprised when Eric led me to the elevator, and pressed B2 while swiping our key over the security pad. Evidently you needed to be someone important to go down there.

"Eric, we have to meet the King in five minutes. Why are you taking me to the basement?" I looked at him, confused.

"The restaurant is underground." He said happily. Eric's excitement was becoming almost overwhelming through the bond. He was _really_ looking forward to tonight. Whether it was because he was showing me off, seeing an old friend, or potentially getting into a brawl I didn't know. Eric did love all of those things, particularly a good fight, so it could really be either one. I remained quiet for the rest of the way down, suddenly nervous about what was to come.

As the elevator doors opened, I noticed two huge bouncers in suits standing by the entrance to the restaurant. This place meant business. I suppressed another wave of giddiness at being invited to such a ritzy establishment and silently thanked Eric again for the gown. The bouncers nodded and us and indicated that we may go through.

Preston's restaurant was called Eventide, in keeping with the theme of the hotel, and it was eerily beautiful. It was the size of a large ballroom and lit only by a quarter-moon shaped fixture in the far corner. Directly in the centre of the room was a giant oak tree, fake of course, whose branches were long and winding and seemed to be supporting the entire ceiling. Covered in plush leaves which made gentle swooshing noises as a breeze blew through the branches, I felt like I was walking into a dream. It was exquisite in its uniqueness; this place seemed designed to give its visitors an escape from the norm. The walls and ceiling were shimmering dimly with stars, like the inlaid glass in the lobby, and a cloudlike substance was floating just above the floor. The perimeter of the room was filled with very private-looking circular mahogany booths, which left the large area surrounding the tree for dancing and mingling. It was completely ethereal. For a second I imagined Eric and me on the dance floor, the hem of my dress floating around us. A surge of energy popped through the bond and I came back to reality.

A man was walking towards us with a beautiful woman on each arm as though the bar were his runway. His suit was what I would call effortless luxury: perfectly tailored grey pants and black Italian leather shoes, with a tailored grey jacket open over a loose white linen shirt. It was unbuttoned halfway down his muscular, hairless, coffee brown chest and he was wearing a loosely wrapped black linen scarf around his neck. This man was, in every sense of the word, perfect looking. I tried not to gape as he drew nearer. Collecting myself, I turned to look at Eric who was already in a deep bow, so I bowed my head as gracefully as I could and stared at the cloudy floor.

"Your Majesty, it is an honor to be in your presence." Eric said reverently, though I could detect great amusement in his voice.

"Oh Eric stop, you're _embarrassing_ me." Preston said in a sexy drawl. "I have been waiting for your gorgeous Viking self to come to my hotel since it opened." He laughed, at which, as if on cue, the model twins started to giggle. Eric stood up straight and grinned.

"Your Majesty" I said, repeating Eric's salutation. "I am grateful to have been invited to your beautiful establishment." I finished, using every ounce of dignity I had not to burst out laughing. I guess being in the presence of vamp royalty eventually teaches you propriety whether you think it's ridiculous or not. I could sense Eric beaming, and then I felt a hand lightly lift my chin up and I straightened from the bow. Preston looked at me directly in the eyes silently for what felt like a long time. Then, he swept his gaze over me from head to toe as though examining me for some flaw. I was outraged. Another moment passed, and then another. Finally, he erupted into peals of uproarious laughter. Cue the giggling models.

"Darling girl, I heard you were a masterpiece but this is…just…" he paused, touching my neck gently "delicious." He nearly squealed, while looking at Eric approvingly. "Am I wrong in thinking you part fae?" He asked with a huge smile.

I was about to speak, but Eric interrupted me. "Preston, as usual your uncanny instincts are correct. My lover is indeed part fae" he said "and just as delicious as you suspect" he finished wickedly, looking at me as though I were a prize winning pie.

Suddenly, a caught a flash of Preston's mind and had to fight not to burst out laughing once more. His thoughts were a little naughty for my taste, but I could tell they were just harmless fantasy so I didn't really mind.

_Oh what fun Eric, Sookie and I would have in my suite. It's been a long time since I've shared a woman with another man, but I seem to recall Eric being such a delight to the ladies in the bedroom_. _I would love a little playful nip at that gorgeous neck of hers, with Eric watching. I bet it would be a riot to see his expression._

For a strange moment, I actually wondered what it would be like but then shook the thought from my mind. Eric would never share me and I would never share him so it was totally out of the question. That didn't change the fact that Preston exuded sexy playfulness; his very being seemed to suggest hedonism and pleasure. This was a vampire designed for good times and it was easy to see why Eric and Pam liked him so much.

Reaching for my hand and kissing it lightly, Preston said: "Welcome to The Nighthouse, Sookie. You may _come to my establishment" _he said, looking at Eric evilly "as many times as you like." Turning to one model and then the other, Preston said: "if you will excuse us for tonight, ladies, we have some business to attend to. You may come to me tomorrow night…if I'm not busy entertaining my esteemed guests." With that, nameless models 1 and 2 walked out of the bar. _Vampires._

At that moment, Preston turned around and starting walking to a very secluded booth in the far corner, opposite the quarter moon. He gestured for us to follow. Taking my hand and rubbing my palm with his thumb, Eric leaned over and whispered: "you are doing wonderfully, lover. I will show you my" he kissed my neck gently "extreme gratitude later tonight." Eric was inflamed with lust.

I wiggled a finger at him confidently and then followed Preston to our booth. He had led us to the best table, naturally, and it was certainly a sight. There was a round mahogany table entirely surrounded by a circular booth with a small entrance. On top of the table there was a dim oil lantern and three crystal wine glasses. The booth, I noticed from inside, was intricately carved. It appeared to be designed to tell a story, like a tapestry. Leaning in to take a closer look, I noticed that it depicted a girl in a flowing dress walking alone through the woods, unknowingly being followed by vampire. _Every girl's fantasy_ I thought to myself sarcastically.

No sooner than my bottom had hit the booth, there was a server standing at the entrance holding our menus. Bowing respectfully to Preston, he handed him a menu. Then he passed one to Eric, and then finally he passed a different menu to me. It was a pretty damn clear indication of the hierarchy at the table, but then, I knew it would be like this. Resigning myself to a night of "yes sir, no sir" I looked at the menu. I was starving. I only hoped that Preston wouldn't be disgusted at my need to eat. As I perused the choices and wine list, Preston started chatting to Eric.

"Eric, I have a little surprise for you. Now, my assistant tells me that your lovely companion ordered you some house blend today" he glanced at me with approval "but I have been keeping a few bottles of Royal in my safe since Pam told me you were planning a trip last month. Would you care to indulge with me this evening, or would you rather wait for another night of your little vacation?" Preston asked coyly.

I had only been sort of paying attention, but the 'last month' part caught my interest. _So Eric had been thinking of taking me here a month ago?_ I guess he really was just waiting for me to finally come to him.

"Your hospitality humbles me, Preston. I will gladly enjoy some Royal blood with you whenever you wish." He smiled at Preston almost affectionately. It was sweet in an odd kind of way.

"Cut it out Eric. All this respect and reverence contradicts your vicious Viking nature that I adore so much. Honestly, it does." Preston said amiably.

At this I actually laughed out loud and Eric gave me a little kick under the table. Preston simply looked at me, delighted.

"You are such a charming creature, Miss Stackhouse! Have you found anything on my menu that piques your interest? You can order off menu, you're with me. Whatever you want will be done." Preston seemed to love grand gestures, and reminded me more of a metrosexual playboy then a deadly vampire king. Perhaps he only acted this way around Eric? I had real trouble imagining him exercising any kind of force.

After a moment's consideration, I decided to play along with his over-the-top style to see Eric's reaction. Gran would be rolling over in her grave, but Preston's boisterous persona just brought out that extra little bit of naughtiness in me, and it seemed to do the same to Eric.

"Actually, I have already decided on the filet mignon, rare and bloody" I licked my lips "because I just _love_ a little melting meat in my mouth. Don't you?" I smiled at Preston and Eric while leaning back in the booth and heaving my chest a little. "Besides, _King_ Preston" I let the word King roll off my tongue "Eric may be drinking Royal with you tonight, which is quite an honor I assure you, but he will be drinking _me_ forever. I understand that fae blood, even when diluted, is quite intoxicating to vampires."

Pleased with my outrageous little speech I looked back down at the menu, occupying myself by pretending to choose a bottle of wine. After an appropriate amount of time, I looked up to gage their responses. Both Eric and Preston's fangs were fully extended, and their eyes were alive _ha-ha_ with wanting. Preston looked over at Eric, who nodded, and slid over to kiss my cheek sensually. Much to my surprise, however, Preston then stood up and left the booth. _It's probably a good thing; too, this is getting a little intense._

"I have to make a quick appearance at another table" Preston said before walking away "and call my assistant to have him collect the bottles of Royal from my safe. The server should be back any moment for your order, Miss Stackhouse. I do look forward to seeing you enjoy it when it arrives." With that, he disappeared across the room and Eric's hands were on me before I could even fully register that we were alone. Strangely, I didn't even care where we were. Pulling his face to mine I started kissing him savagely, panting and moaning into his mouth. Just when I was about to rip my dress to shreds right there in the restaurant, Eric pulled away and looked at me.

"I guess by now you've figured out Preston's unique talent?" He asked.

"He knew I was part fae right away, like Andre?" I replied, unsure.

"No it's much more than that. Preston's ability is, in short, seduction. His very presence brings out every lustful thought, feeling and idea you've ever imagined. There isn't a single person that could resist him if he wanted them bad enough. In fact, he's the only man I've ever been attracted to." Eric said this so matter-of-factly that the whole thing sounded quite natural. "Not that you'll ever have anything to worry about" he looked at me with a grin "especially not when you say things like 'I love a little melting meat in my mouth.'" He laughed deeply and affectionately into my ear while kissing and licking the lobe. "You're so much trouble Sookie." He said _trouble _as though it were endearing.

"Don't worry though lover, Preston will not seduce us" Eric said thoughtfully, and then added "any more than he already has. We are his guests. That was nothing compared to what he can do." Eric said, continuing to kiss me. I was enjoying his touch, and he was sending extreme feelings of lust and need thought the bond.

I didn't really want him to elaborate any further on Preston, but he did.

"So naturally you can see why he is so dangerous. He doesn't need to use violent force to get what he wants." Eric said quietly. He didn't seem troubled by this, though, he just seemed focused on touching me.

I instantly thought back to the images I had picked up from Preston earlier, and my own reaction. I had actually considered a _threesome_ with a stranger. If that was nothing compared to his abilities, then this guy was good. Especially since vamp mind games didn't work on me.

Looking at Eric, I said: "I get your point. I hope you're right about us being Preston's guests and him respecting that." I said.

"He is a gentleman." Eric crooned, kissing my neck and earlobe again, his lust on the point of setting me aflame. "But I, on the other hand, am not" Eric said, and bit me.

TBC – Please review, comments and critiques welcomed!! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

I would also like to say that I have not read the short story "Gift Wrap" and didn't know a character named Preston already existed in CH's fiction. I found out by reading another fanfic today which indicated this. It was a big disappointment to me to say the least. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the new chapter, even though it's a short one! Here's a little timeline.

Friday night – Sookie worked and then went to Fangtasia to see Eric. They went back to his house afterwards.

Saturday night – Sookie filled in at Merlotte's, then her and Eric caught a flight to Honolulu.

Sunday night – They have the talk, and then meet with Preston at Eventide.

Thank you to everyone who continues to show interest in the fic! I really appreciate the reviews so keep them coming!!

Chapter 8

Under different circumstances, that little public display of vamp affection would have infuriated me. Idon't put up with overtly sexual acts when other people are nearby, and quite frankly, it is against the law for vamps to feed on humans except behind closed doors. I knew we had both been out of sorts as a result of Preston's talents, and I had definitely been asking for it with my little speech about fairy blood and rare steak. I wasn't mad, _this time_, but I was definitely embarrassed.

Eric was leaning back in the booth with a smug expression on his face. He hadn't taken much blood at all, just a drop really, but it was the act that irked me. Luckily, the booth was almost impossible to see into from even a short distance away, and we were still alone.

"Eric, I'm not entirely sure that was necessary. Just over an hour ago you drank some house blend, and any moment now Preston will be coming back and his assistant will be delivering the bottles of Royal. Besides, you know I don't approve of being bitten in public." I said, turning my head to look at him.

"Actually lover, it was totally necessary. For one thing, by now Preston is probably wondering why you would order me blood from the hotel when I could have simply fed from you. For another, Preston is fully aware of the effect he has on humans and vampires alike. He noticed how we were reacting to his mild seductions. If he came back and I _hadn't_ bitten you, he would have found it suspicious."

Again, I had to marvel at Eric's logic.

"Oh alright Eric, I suppose I had it coming anyway." I smiled at him.

"Yes lover, you did. But don't think that I didn't just adore your sinful behavior. We are not nearly done enjoying one another for tonight." Eric said with a glint in his eye.

Just as I was about to retort, the server reappeared. I handed him back the menus and ordered the salmon.

* * * * *

Looking at my watch, I noticed it was nearly 11:30pm; Bill and Pam would be here in less than two hours. I had no idea when De Castro would be arriving, but imagined it would be soon. I was still determined to enjoy myself as long as I could, though, so I tried my best to stay positive. Searching for Eric's hand under the table and then bringing it to my mouth, I kissed his fingers gently. Eric leaned his head back into the booth and closed his eyes, clearly savoring the sensation of my moist lips on his skin. Being in the secluded booth alone with him was starting to prove difficult again. I didn't know what was coming over me; _hadn't I just berated Eric for his display_? It was as though all logic had left me and was replaced by inescapable arousal. I had a gorgeous man sitting next to me, the side of his body pressed against mine, and I couldn't stop thinking about had badly I wanted to taste him. The air was actually feeling thick with our need for one another and I sighed heavily into his palm while licking it. Suddenly, I became aware of another presence in the booth. Preston was standing at the entrance and watching us with obvious swagger. I dropped Eric's hand instantly and flushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh honey, please don't stop on my account. It was just starting to get _interesting_." Preston said while sliding into the booth with a laugh.

"It was you, Preston, who made me get all…all hot and bothered just now wasn't it?" I chided.

"Maybe a little" Preston's eyes glinted mischievously "but darling girl you wanted it. Oh yes you did." He flashed me a prize winning smile and I couldn't help but laugh at his daring. He was even more infuriating than Eric; you simply could not stay mad at him. "It is just _so_ much fun" Preston started, looking at Eric and then at me "having you two at my hotel. The Viking I have known and cherished forever, of course, but Sookie, you and I just met and already I am smitten. Can you blame me for wanting to have a little fun?"

It would have sounded innocent and sweet if his fangs weren't extended. I looked at Eric and he was simply shaking his head in amusement. I was at once entertained, more than a little freaked out, and a tiny bit excited. I supposed that the large amount I had taken of Eric's blood, combined with the new gown I was wearing were giving my ego a big boost; not to mention that Preston was gorgeous and oozing with charm. I had morals, though. I hoped he would ease up a bit on his _talent_ before things got out of hand. For just a second Preston looked disappointed with my non-compliance and sat back in the booth. I supposed he really was a gentleman for not pushing us further. In a flash, his face changed back to complete cheerfulness.

Looking at Eric and me excitedly, he said: "My assistant Nolan will be here any moment now with the Royal blood. Sookie, have you ordered?" He asked. I nodded, and he turned to Eric. "Don't think that I didn't notice those bite marks on her neck you devil. I hope you saved some of your appetite. I wouldn't want to think that you don't appreciate my gift." Preston said, grinning.

"Preston, I always save some of my appetite for your _gifts_." Eric joked, smoothly. By the expression on Preston's face it was clearly the right answer. Eric gave my hand a little squeeze under the table to let me know he was just being polite. He then looked at Preston pointedly and said: "I do think however, now that we've exchanged pleasantries, that we should address De Castro's imminent arrival and develop a strategy. I know you said we have nothing to worry about, and I trust that we are safe in your presence…particularly within the walls of your own hotel. But I think it would be unwise to underestimate Felipe." It clearly pained Eric to have to address Preston in this way, when all three of us just wanted to enjoy the evening, but Eric was right. He and I had our own little plan, but we needed a backup. Best to find out now what Preston's personal strategies were with regard to De Castro.

Preston looked absolutely crestfallen with the sudden change of topic. I suppose I was right when I deduced that this King wasn't one for exercising force. His expression indicated that such things as politics and plotting were an utter and total _bore_. Preston sat silently for a moment, pondering what Eric had said, and then started to speak.

"I suppose we had to get around to it sooner or later" he started with a whine "but can we please enjoy our dinner first?" Preston sounded like a little boy asking his mommy if he could stay up past bedtime. He was too cute to refuse. I quickly realized that Preston was not one to take no for an answer anyway.

At that moment, the server appeared out of nowhere with my order of planked salmon and steamed vegetables, along with a bottle of chardonnay. As though perfectly timed, another man, presumably Preston's assistant Nolan, walked towards us holding a gleaming gold platter with two bottles of Royal on top.

"Master" Nolan bowed, setting the bottles next to the crystal wine glasses gently "your Royal blood. It has been prepared to your liking. Will that be all Your Majesty?" Nolan asked, humbly.

"Yes, Nolan, you may go." Preston said regally, and Nolan walked away backwards still in a half bow. It was easily the most ludicrous thing I had ever witnessed, but suddenly I was too hungry to care. Minding my manners, I proposed a toast before attacking my food.

"To King Preston, for his generosity" I said, much to my own chagrin.

"To King Preston" Eric repeated, smiling.

"To me" Preston said, laughing a deep luxurious laugh, "and of course my delectable guests."

We were just about to raise our glasses and drink when a fourth, unmistakable voice drifted over the ledge of the booth.

"To vengeance for treachery" Felipe de Castro said menacingly, as he and Victor approached our table. Before anyone could protest, he grabbed Eric's glass and downed it in one.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

Chapter 9

With blinding speed, Preston leapt up from the booth and stood mere centimeters away from De Castro's face; his previously playful manner having been instantly replaced with blatant outrage. I guess my first impression had been wrong; Preston was absolutely terrifying when angered. His pupils were dilated and even the whites of his eyes had turned black. His rage seemed to make him taller, somehow, and he lorded over De Castro fearlessly. Eric's fangs were extended and his body was humming with bloodlust. For the time being, however, he was sitting in the booth with an arm over me pinning me to the seat. The act of staying seated was taking so much effort it made him tremble violently.

"You've always been an unbearable asshole, Felipe, but I was hoping that by now you might have learned some fucking _manners_." Preston said. It might have been funny under different circumstances, but in this instance it really wasn't. The way he said manners sent shivers up my spine. The bar was starting to fill up with vampires and I didn't know if they were from Preston's or Felipe's retinue.

_We're all going to die in this bar_. The thought hit me like a slap in the face and suddenly I realized that I actually believed it to be true. 

"Stand down, KingMandrel. Victor is more than capable of killing you before your pathetic guards or harem-entourage takes another step. These are not warriors you have; you are a disgrace." De Castro then nodded at Victor, who pulled a sharp wooden knife out of his pocket and thumbed the hilt with a fierce expression.

_So these are all Preston's vamps. De Castro was actually brazen enough to come here with just Victor? He must be insane, incredibly arrogant, or trying to prove some kind of point. _I thought to myself. The vamps were closing in on the booth, slowly but with frightening, hungry expressions.

"You would dare come to my hotel and threaten me and my guests? Just because you are a traitorous dictator in your own state doesn't give you any authority here! Are you trying to start a war?" Preston was yelling right into De Castro's face and Victor looked as though he could spit nails. I noticed that Eric was slowly edging towards the entrance of the booth while still keeping me pinned. He gave me a tiny pinch and I took that as my cue to focus intently on hearing De Castro's thoughts.

_Okay Sookie, relax and concentrate. _I thought to myself.

_Breathe, dear one, you are no coward. I need you calm so I can accurately judge your response to De Castro._ Eric was straining with all his might to broadcast so that I could hear him. I had to stifle a gasp. He was projecting, and it worked. As discreetly as possible, I nodded. Eric looked momentarily pleased with himself, but the expression vanished almost as quickly as it appeared.

"I have no intention of starting a war." De Castro said. _Not today, that is. I must wait until those who are loyal to me have assembled and made their way to Hawaii, which Victor thinks will take a few days. _He thought, and then continued aloud: "I am here to teach my servant Eric some obedience. I already have several states under my command and I believe that will suffice." De Castro said, and Victor merely nodded. _I will take each and every state, one by one. And I will take Eric's pet, just to torment him. He thought he could best me by coming here; it will be amusing to prove him wrong. It will be even more amusing to fuck the telepath while Eric is chained to silver and forced to watch._ _He will be begging to meet the sun by the time I am finished._ De Castro thought. I wanted to grab Victor's knife and stab the bastard in the heart but I knew that I couldn't allow myself to feel rage. Eric had to know that there would be no blood spilled tonight; De Castro was planning a coup but it would take time. I tried to send feelings of reassurance to Eric. If Eric killed his King right now; he would have to face the tribunal.

The entire restaurant was now full of vamps. For a second I actually felt bad that Pam was missing out on all the fun, and then realized that I must be crazy for thinking something so absurd at a time like this.

"Well then you will explain to me, _now before I am forced to kill you_, why the hell you would storm in here uninvited and behave with open hostility? For the love of everything bloody, Felipe, when are you going to realize that being a vampire is about more than pride?" At this, Preston actually placed a hand on De Castro's cheek, and I could tell he was using his power to overwhelm him mentally. Felipe was showing extraordinary resistance, and Victor's knife hand was centimeters away from Preston's chest.

"Eric should not have come here without my consent. It was his idiocy that brought me here." Felipe said evenly.

Eric looked like he wanted De Castro's head on a platter. I focused as hard as I could on sending him feelings of calm; letting him know that the battle would not occur tonight. Eric visibly relaxed. Trusting I was safe, he removed his arm from pinning me to the booth and leapt at Victor for the knife while Preston was closing his eyes and using every ounce of strength he had to subdue Felipe.

_I had to show the other Kings and Queens that I do not tolerate disloyalty. It is a lesson everyone must learn now if I am to takeover. I will play along with Preston's mind games for tonight so that he has the illusion of control. I will apologize and tell him that I intend to stay at his hotel to publicly demonstrate my affection towards him. I will tell him that my subjects will honor him; Preston is nothing if not vain and loving of praise. He will throw a party, and then it will be war. _De Castro thought, his mind slowly becoming a hazy blur. Felipe's bloodlust and rage was turning into something entirely different and the vamps from Preston's retinue were watching with obvious delight at the display. I couldn't pick up on any more thoughts from De Castro and I didn't want to witness the dark and dirty fantasies Preston would arouse in him anyway. As much as I hated De Castro, I couldn't help but think it was a brave thing he did by coming to Hawaii with only Victor as security. Brave, I thought, or incredibly stupid. As Felipe and Victor were forced to sit down in the booth, not at all of their own free will, I was leaning towards stupid.

* * * * *

After a few moments of strained silence, Preston realized he had to address the restless vampires of his retinue which now filled the restaurant with wanton electricity. They had come for blood, violence and sex. They would have to leave with neither.

"Loyal servants" Preston yelled to the room "please return to your own affairs. There is to be no fray. I require absolute privacy in my bar with my four…_guests_." He indicated to Eric, Victor, Felipe and me. "Each and every one of you will receive an order of house blend delivered to your rooms within the hour, or a donor of your choice. Please respect my wishes, and accept my thanks. That is all." He gave a flick of his hand and the vamps in the restaurant turned to leave, disappointed.

Before Preston sat back down, he flicked open his cell phone.

"Nolan, get me the twins, now. Bring them to me within five minutes or there will be consequences. Bring their friend, the dark haired one as well." He hung up the phone and slid into the booth. Felipe and Victor were sitting quietly, in a total daze. Apparently, Preston had used his talents on Victor as well. His constitution must be somewhat weaker than Felipe's, I thought, as I hadn't seen Preston so much as look at Victor. Let alone touch him.

After a second or two, I thought about what Preston had said to his assistant and realized what was about to happen. I had to suppress an overwhelming wave of disgust. _So much for enjoying my dinner_ I thought bitterly to myself. Sensing my emotions through the bond, Eric strained one more time to project his thoughts.

_Sookie, it is imperative that you act normal when Preston, Felipe and Victor feed on those girls. I will not drink from them, of course, but it is unavoidable that the other three will. After what nearly just happened, combined with Preston's seduction over Felipe and Victor, their desire for blood and sex must be satisfied. It is taking a lot of control and energy for Preston to keep them subdued; sharing human flesh with the two other vampires is a necessary precaution. It is the only way to ensure our safety for the evening._

Looking over at Eric and sensing his hunger, I sent him a surge of gratitude and love. Eric was still shaking with bloodlust, and his fangs were fully extended. He needed to satisfy his urges, it was so strong through the bond that it even made _me_ want him to feed, and yet he was willing to sit idly by while three other vampires fed right in front of him. He was doing this for me, and I was instantly aroused by his sacrifice. It did beg the question, though, as to what the other vamps would think when Eric didn't attempt to feed. Just as soon as the thought came to mind, I knew what I had to do when the girls arrived.

At that moment, Preston gave me a measured look from across the booth and poured half of his Royal into Eric's now empty glass. Picking up his own glass, and gesturing that we do the same, he grinned and said: "All's well that ends well" and drained his glass.

"Cheers" Eric and I said in unison, before doing the same.

I knew it wasn't over, not nearly, but for the moment we were okay.

TBC – Thank you for your continued interest in the fic! Comments and/or constructive criticism greatly appreciated!!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

Chapter 10

Eric stood up from the booth and started pacing. Preston remained seated, concentrating on keeping Felipe and Victor subdued. His frustration and hunger was evident, however, as he was drumming his fingers on the table and staring at me with lust and passion in his eyes. I could tell that both he, and of course Eric, were having an extremely difficult time keeping their fangs off me. I hoped that Preston's assistant Nolan would be arriving quickly with the three girls, even though the prospect of watching a veritable vampire/human orgy definitely didn't appeal to me at all. At that moment, Eric's phone started vibrating. As he read the text, an expression of relief came over his face.

"Bill and Pam will be here in less than thirty minutes. They have already gotten into a taxi and left the airport." Eric said.

Instantly, Preston's face changed to one of pure joy and excitement.

"Well, it looks like I might get to have some real fun tonight after all" Preston said, looking at Eric gleefully "you know how much Pam and I like to _play._"

Eric nodded, the corners of his lips forming into a small smile. I shuddered to think at what Preston meant by play.

"We still have to figure out what we want to do with Felipe and Victor once they've fed. Do you think they still pose a threat?" Eric asked Preston, avoiding my gaze.

"Once they have been satisfied, I will place them in a guarded room. They will stay there during the daylight hours. We can't know for sure what his plans are based on tonight's actions so we will have to question De Castro further tomorrow night. I am not worried though. We have the advantage." Preston said, and looked at the two hypnotized vamps in disgust.

I really needed to talk to Eric and let him in on what I heard from Felipe's thoughts, but I couldn't say anything within earshot of Preston or any other vampires. It didn't seem likely that privacy would be an option for the rest of the night; Preston had indicated that we would all be staying together until just before sunrise. What his plans were, I didn't ask. It is possible that he simply wanted us all to strategize and discuss the political implications of De Castro's visit, but I doubted it.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nolan enter the restaurant with the three women in tow. They were all dressed in expensive looking red lace lingerie covered only by long, sheer black robes. _Gross. _I had at least expected them in normal clothes. Instead of looking at the women, though, Preston simply looked at me. I couldn't gage Eric's expression from where I was sitting, he was still pacing around, but I could feel his tension building.

"Darling, am I correct in assuming that you have not witnessed anything like this before?" Preston asked me, a curious expression on his face. I nodded, expressionless. He continued "since I like you so much, you gorgeous creature, I will give you a choice. I can either place a mild seduction over you so that you enjoy what you see and participate" he looked at Eric with a grin "which I assure you would please _Mr. Northman _very much whether he admits it or not." I glanced at Eric, who appeared to be running his hands through his hair and fighting with himself for control.

Preston then paused for a moment, clearly enjoying himself immensely. He licked his lips, eyed me mischievously, and then said: "or you and Eric may make the use of my private room in the back. I will not allow you to leave the bar, however, until Eric's servants arrive and we have attended to other things. Know that I would _really _like to have some fun with you and your Viking, but I will only have it happen with your consent. Do understand, honey, that I offer you a great compliment by not simply taking what I want." Preston finished, his face becoming flush with hunger and impatience.

I could tell that Preston was losing his concentration, as a haze of heat and lust started permeating the air in the room and I was finding it difficult to hold myself together. Eric had actually started rocking back and forth on his feet from the torture of his self-restraint. I suddenly wanted to run over to him and straddle him in the middle of the floor. I was becoming terribly aroused; I had to cross my legs to stop the pulsing I was feeling from my groin. A bead of sweat formed on my neck, and ran down the neckline of my stress through my breasts which Preston caught on a fingertip and licked up instantly. I had to touch Eric, I had to kiss him and feel him on top of me _now_. I needed him to fulfill his hunger; it was eating me up from inside through the bond and driving me crazy.

I suddenly didn't care who was watching and what the other vamps did with the model-donors. I had to get out of this booth and take Eric inside me or I was going to go insane with desire. My nipples hardened in my dress, and Preston instantly eyed me like a lion stalking its prey. He reached over and held my face in his hand for a moment, while beckoning for Nolan to bring the models closer. As they walked towards the booth, ambient music started blaring through the bar's speakers. I noticed Victor and Felipe rouse a little from their haze as though they could smell the approaching flesh. Eric was looking at me, in clear pain, though with incredible passion. I could actually see his arousal from the booth. The models stopped right in front of me. Preston stood up and whispered something to a dark-haired woman, who grabbed one of the twins and started kissing her. Preston looked me in the eye and held out a hand for me to stand up. I obeyed, and noticed Eric started walking towards us slowly. All four of the vampires' fangs were extended, and the three models were caressing one another wildly. When Eric was near enough to touch, Preston went over to him and licked his neck. Eric simply stood rooted in place, while looking at me intensely. Then something in his expression caught me off guard, and it was just enough to waken me from the haze. _Snap out of it, Sookie_.

"Thank you for being so considerate, Preston. I think that just for tonight, I would prefer to spend some time alone with Eric." I walked over to Eric and he lifted me up. Securing my legs around his waist, we started walking towards a little hallway which I assumed led to Preston's back room.

"Don't have too much fun without me." Preston called to us as we walked away. I didn't look back to see his expression.

We made it partway through the dark hallway, and Eric stopped to put my back up against the wall.

"Lover, I cannot wait any longer. I have been holding back with all my strength; having you in my arms, smelling your scent, I must have you now." He said and kissed me furiously.

"Eric, we can't do this…here…" I attempted to say, while rubbing my hands all over him.

"No one can see us, no one will interrupt." Said Eric, while running his fangs over my neck and licking me hungrily.

"You said Preston wouldn't seduce us!" I said, attempting to sound stern through my unbelievable arousal and frustration.

"It wasn't just him; it was everyone's combined need that you felt. Sookie, he gave you a choice." Eric said, while pulling my dress up to my waist.

I couldn't argue any further. We were completely out of view from the main restaurant, and I had never been so turned on in all my life and suspected I never would be again.

"Oh Eric, I want you so bad. I love you, I don't care. Just do it, do it now." I said, pulling him closer to me with all my strength.

Eric had undone his pants and pushed my panties to the side in a fraction of a second. While holding me to the wall, he thrust inside me and growled a loud, pained sound into my mouth. "Oh Sookie, lover, I need you, I love you." He said, while pushing in and pulling out quickly. "Look at me" he said in a strained voice. _EricyesIloveyouyeslikethatohgodyesyesyes._

I put my hand in between us and starting rubbing my nub as he looked into my eyes. "Eric" I said to him "I want us to come together."

The intense passion of the moment was making me weak with need and I knew I was going to release quickly. He looked at me with his blazing blue eyes and starting entering me faster. Keeping me pinned in place, he bit my neck and sucked a little with each thrust. "You taste amazing lover, you feel amazing." Eric said; his voice laced with sex.

_Oh Eric please. Please oh Eric Eric Eric please._

We were getting closer, Eric was moaning uncontrollably as he entered me and drank from me, and I was convulsing with the building pressure all through my body. I knew in a few seconds we would both climax and I had never wanted anything so bad in my life.

I looked up from Eric's gaze for just a second, to see Bill standing near the entrance of the hallway.

TBC – Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic. Please review! Your comments keep me writing!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: The Characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

Chapter 11

Totally consumed by lust, Eric came inside me with a loud moan. I, on the other hand, lost all my desire instantly and felt my arousal turn to disgust.

"Bill! How dare you spy on us?" I yelled at him, my voice shaking with anger.

Eric turned to his head and looked at Bill; his expression a combination of smugness and irritation.

"Compton, you must have a death wish." He said, pulling out of me and quickly smoothing down my dress so that it covered me up. My mind was a blur of every emotion possible and I was shocked that Bill would actually watch me have sex with Eric. As Eric put me back down, I had to reach for the wall to hold me up as my knees were no longer able to support me.

"My apologies" Bill started icily, while turning around and walking away "I just wanted to make sure Sookie was okay." He finished, and then disappeared back into the dimness of the restaurant. I thought I caught a glimpse of fang while he spoke but I couldn't be sure.

For a terrible moment, I wanted to slap Eric for allowing himself to climax right in front of Bill when I was able to control myself. But then I thought about how much restraint he had been showing before, and redirected my anger. He is a vampire, after all, and we were both seconds away from finishing. Bill must have been able to sense what we were doing, and yet he still walked towards us and didn't as much as cough politely to let us know he was there. If I found a moment alone with him on the trip, he was going to hear a piece of my mind. Feeling my rage, Eric put a hand on my face and gently brushed away a strand of hair, trying to calm me down.

"Dear one, you must not let Bill upset you. He is not important." He leaned in and kissed me passionately. "It is our bond and our love that is important now." Eric said quietly.

"How could he just stand there like that?" I demanded, unable to let go of my frustration.

"You forget that vampires have a different concept of sexual taboo. In the other room, for example, there are three hungry vampires and three beautiful women undoubtedly all having sex. By now, Pam has probably even joined in. Vampires care not about human ideas of shame." Eric said, pointedly.

"But Bill is my ex, and you are his boss! Surely he knew we'd be angry!" Usually Eric was the first person to point out Bill's many faults and the fact that he wasn't taking my side on this was infuriating.

"Sookie, Bill is not impervious to the sexual energy in this bar. He was feeling everyone's bloodlust and Preston's seduction just as strongly as you and I. He probably walked away to clear his head and check up on you like he said. When he found us having sex he couldn't help himself but watch. Our desire for another was so intense and so beautiful that it almost outweighed his anger at seeing us together." There was a bizarre kind of logic to what Eric had said; vamps did get off on all sorts of unusual stuff, so I decided to leave it alone for the time being. "If you are still angry once your sexual frustration wears off, I will have words with him." He looked at me and smiled.

"No, Eric, it's okay. I'm just not used to having everything so…out in the open like this. When do you think it'll be safe for us to go back into the restaurant? We should really get everything sorted out with Felipe and Victor, and then we'll go somewhere private to talk. You need to know what I heard." I said cryptically, not willing to elaborate any further while still in Preston's bar.

"You're right, lover, but Preston wishes for us to remain here until sunrise. I will not disrespect him by leaving. He has been very kind to us." Eric gave me a look which indicated it would be useless to argue.

"I know. We will stay until he tells us we can go. I'm starving though; I never got to eat before because Felipe showed up." I whined.

"It would be unwise to go back into the bar just yet. We must wait a little longer, until the haze of lust and hunger is fully satiated. Also, I would like to give my child Pam a chance to enjoy herself. It has been a while since she has indulged." Eric said simply.

"What am I going to do for food then?" I asked him.

"I think we will go to Preston's private room now. I can feel your hunger and bitterness as though it were my own. I doubt the kitchen is still open, and you need sustenance and release _now_. We will resolve this; you will take my blood again. It is not up for debate." Eric said authoritatively, though with kindness.

"Eric, I am not a vampire. I will not drink blood for food." I said.

"Sookie, we will be awake for another six hours. If you do not eat, you will be weak and vulnerable and I don't know what else we might have to deal with tonight. Please do this for me. I would not ask it of you if it weren't the only way." Eric stated.

"Fine, but I am a human, Eric, and it would be nice if you would remember that!" I snapped, and started walking towards the door at the end of the hall.

* * * * *

Preston's back room was actually very straightforward, completely contradictory to the ethereal feel of the restaurant. It was dimly lit, had a small bar on the back wall, and the rest of the room was taken up with a bed that had to be at least the size of two king mattresses pushed together. All over the floor and the bed were pillows of varying sizes and colors and shapes. It was designed for parties of no more than four or five; which I figured for Preston was probably the standard number. The only function of this room was sex, and I marveled at how differently some people live out their lives from others. _Or their deaths ha-ha._

"Lover, I'm sorry. I should have been better prepared to suit your needs. Perhaps there is another way for us to get you fed." Eric said gently, and sat down on the enormous bed.

"No, Eric, you were right. I just overreacted because I'm cranky, I'm hungry, and I'm frustrated about what happened in the hallway. I know it sounds stupid, but I was so turned on that when I didn't get to, you know, finish, it actually made me _upset_ for some reason. I don't know why." I said, and flushed with embarrassment.

"Dear one, that is not stupid at all. You were barely in control of yourself, and yet you managed to stop even though your entire body was screaming for release. Of course you are upset; your body feels it's unfair that you were interrupted while making love to me. I agree with your body." Eric laughed and reached out for my arm while pulling me down to the bed playfully and kissing me. I giggled a little, but then turned serious.

"Eric, we're alone now. I think I should tell you what I got from Felipe's-" I started to say but Eric cut me off.

"Sookie, you don't know who might be listening. We will talk later." I couldn't argue with him, so I just lay down on the bed in resignation. Before I could protest, Eric was running his hands up my legs and pushing my dress up gently. "I am going to satisfy your hunger, lover, in more ways than one." He said, and starting kissing my ankles, my calves, my thighs and then my lower abdomen. He looked at me with love in his eyes, and then bit his arm. "Drink, Sookie, and I will taste you too."

I grabbed his arms and started to suck, feeling happier and warmer and more aroused with every pull. He started to moan, and buried his face between my legs while licking me quickly and with incredible skill. He inserted two fingers into my wetness and rubbed me while flicking my mound with the tip of his tongue. I kept sucking his arm, and felt myself fill with unbearable longing. Eric was moaning into me as he licked, and suddenly I couldn't control myself any longer. He looked up at me, smiled a gorgeous sexy smile, and we both came together.

After a few moments of relaxed silence and cuddling, Eric started to stir.

"Is that better, my beautiful pouty princess?" Eric asked jokingly.

"Yes, Viking, it is" I said with amusement "much better."

"I'm so glad I could be of service." Eric said with a huge grin, and leapt off the bed. "I think it is okay to return to the restaurant now, lover. I sense a feeling of satisfaction and relief that goes beyond our own." He looked at me, and I nodded in response. "It is unfortunate that we have business to attend to; hopefully we can resolve everything by tomorrow night. I would love to lie on the beach with you at moonlight." Eric said with a dreamy look in his eyes.

I couldn't bring myself to tell him that that was very unlikely, as Felipe fully intended to go to war. He was so happy right now I didn't want to ruin it. The idea of lying in the sand with Eric and taking in the stars had been on my mind since we landed, I understood the fantasy completely. Trying my best to subdue my feelings of disappointment, I stood up and rearranged myself. I looked thoroughly ravaged and I still wanted to show off my dress to Pam. When I was satisfied that I had pulled myself together, I reached for Eric's hand and walked towards the door.

* * * * *

Just before leaving the dark hallway and entering the main restaurant, Eric stopped me.

"After an orgy such as the one which just occurred here, some vampires can be a little giddy. I thought you should know this in case anyone acts differently." Eric said happily. It was clear that he was excited to be in the company of flushed and sated vamps who like to party.

"Thanks for the tip." I said with a laugh.

"No problem. Once we've all talked and sorted everything out, I expect you to save me a dance. Preston will undoubtedly try to keep you from me, just for his own amusement. He is quite a dancer." Eric said.

"Well then I guess you'll have to impress with me with your moves or watch me dance with him." I said, and led the way back into the bar. Eric scowled for a moment, and then smiled.

As soon as my eyes adjusted to the flickering lights from the stars on the wall, I was able to see Pam on the floor with Preston. She was laughing an ecstatic sounding laugh and holding his hand as they spun around, sending clouds of the smoky substance from the floor around the room. The sexual haze had lifted and all that remained of the previous atmosphere was the dreamlike quality of the bar. Felipe, Victor and the models were nowhere to be seen; Bill was sitting in our booth drinking a glass of blood and looking as broody as I had ever seen him. I wondered if he had fed at all from the girls. If so, why drink blood now? If not, how could he overcome his desire? I couldn't give it too much thought, however, because as soon as Pam saw me and Eric she ran over and gave me a hug. She was looking quite healthy and absolutely stunning in an iridescent pink backless satin gown. I started to wonder how she avoiding getting blood on it, and then thought better of it.

She then pulled away and looked at me admiringly. "Aloha Sookie" she said with a grin "I love you in that dress. You look stunning and sweet" she continued, while taking in my flushed cheeks and the bite marks on my neck. She then turned to Eric and bowed deeply, though with an expression of absolute delight. I had never seen her looking so unabashedly happy, and I assumed it must be because of Preston and the model twins.

"Master" she smiled "I am pleased to see you looking so…refreshed." She said with a glint in her eye.

"Thank you, Pam. You seem to be enjoying yourself." He replied, amused.

"You know how I like to take part in Preston's little games." She said, at which Preston walked over to us, smiling grandly.

"Look who is back!" He said. "We missed you two beautiful creatures out here in the bar, but I think we managed fine. Wouldn't you agree Pam my darling?" Preston said, and pulled her to him in a huge embrace. After a few moments of over-the-top kissing, they broke apart giggling. It was like Pam was, well, high. "I expect that you will say yes next time?" Preston asked me.

"We'll see." I said, and blushed. Pam and Preston beamed at my almost-compliance. _Vampires._

"Preston" Eric said, changing the subject "we should perhaps make some arrangements as to Felipe and Victor's fate. Do you agree?" He asked, while walking back our booth where Bill was now sitting.

"When did you become such a bore? The last time we were all together and I threw an orgy, I seem to recall you wearing an animal hide and pillaging close on ten girls in a row without stopping. Have you lost your sense of adventure, Viking?" Preston asked, concerned. I had to laugh at his blatant disregard for anything which didn't include sex.

"No, I just prefer to pillage my telepathic fairy." He said, and swatted me on the bum with pride.

"That's the spirit!" Preston said happily, and then proceeded to sit down in the booth. "We will discuss De Castro, but after that we will dance." He said, and everyone else nodded except Bill, who simply kept a blank expression and focused on looking at his glass. If I hadn't been so mad earlier, I would have felt bad for him. After all, he did come here to protect Eric and me. Noticing Bill's moodiness, Preston looked at him in frustration. "Bill, I command you to enjoy yourself no matter how much you'd rather ruin my mood. You will unwind tonight even if I _have to make you_." With that, Bill looked up from his glass and smiled weakly.

"Yes Your Majesty, I apologize for forgetting my manners. It will not happen again."

Instinctively, I grabbed Bill's hand underneath the table for a moment and gave him a supportive squeeze. I don't know why, but I wasn't mad anymore. I looked up at his face and noticed his fangs had run down a little. Preston nodded appreciatively at Bill's compliance, but I knew it was only because of my touch.

TBC – Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic. Please review! Your comments keep me writing!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

Chapter 12

After a few moments of talking with Preston and Pam, I learned that Felipe and Victor had been placed in a heavily guarded room on the 11th floor. Apparently, Preston used that floor exclusively for problem guests, and it was equipped with a variety of different security features which would ensure our safety until tomorrow night. Preston said that he was the only person with a key to their room, and that it was impossible for the two vamps to escape or to make any kind of connection with the outside world while they were in there. That was all good and fine, I thought, but it isn't exactly legal to keep a King prisoner for drinking someone else's glass of blood. Even if that blood _was_ from the Royal line and the king was an asshole. I knew that his plans were a lot more sinister than interrupting our dinner, but obviously I couldn't mention that to any other vampires and I certainly couldn't prove it to a tribunal if we were summoned for wrongful imprisonment.

"Thank you, Preston, for taking such immediate control of the situation with De Castro and Victor. Your talents are a thing to behold." Eric said, pausing to let the compliment sink in. When I looked up, Preston was preening. "I think that we need to discuss what our long term plans are with the prisoners, though. We won't be able to hold him here for long without facing charges or starting a war. Neither of those things appeals to me, since we've already lost a number of vampires in Louisiana." Eric stated, and then fell silent. I could tell he desperately wanted to know what I had gotten from Felipe's mind, and that it was eating him up that he didn't know the whole story when I did.

"I agree with your concerns, Eric, I really do. We will have to question him tomorrow night and see if he repents for his heinous intrusion. We can't keep him on 11; I put him there temporarily. I don't believe we can plan any next steps until we know more about what really brought them here." Preston said, and at this he actually looked thoughtful.

"If I might add something Your Majesty, I'd like to say that perhaps he simply used Eric's visit to Honolulu as an excuse to initiate hostilities. I believe Eric is just a scapegoat." Bill said, all the while staring down at the table.

I had to give him a little credit; Bill was absolutely right. Felipe wanted to take over Hawaii, and this was just as good a time as any. He still wanted to punish Eric for coming here, but his true goal was dominating another state.

"There's something to that, Bill. I thought it was a little rash to come all the way over here to punish Eric…but that doesn't explain why he'd want to initiate open war with _me_. The takeover of Louisiana was awful, but it at least made sense. The Queen was weak and undefended. I, however, am not." Preston said this regally, as though it were preposterous to imagine anyone taking his stature for granted. I decided to speak up.

"I believe De Castro simply thinks that he in unbeatable. After getting two more states under his belt, it would make sense for him to believe that he is all-powerful. Maybe he just wants to become King of all America." I said, hoping I hadn't revealed too much, but that I had given Eric a little more information.

Eric looked at me, his face stony. I took this to mean that I should probably stop talking.

"Sookie, honey, there has been no King ruling an entire country in hundreds of years. It is absurd." Preston looked at me as though I were a cute kid trying to participate in an adult conversation at the dinner table. Bill simply looked at me in disbelief, as though he knew I couldn't have come up with such a thing on my own so there must be some truth to it. _Oh-oh._

"Actually darling, Sookie's outlandish ideas usually turn out to be exactly right. It is precisely why we keep her around. " Pam said, looking at me curiously. _Thanks Pam._

"Preston, I think you're right. We cannot know how to proceed until we have questioned Felipe and Victor tomorrow night." Eric said, ending the conversation. Clearly he wanted to steer the attention away from me; we were treading dangerously close to the truth about my ability to read vamp minds.

"I'm glad we are of the same opinion, Eric. It's settled then! Tonight, we dance. Tomorrow, well, we'll wait and see." With that, Preston stood up and grabbed Pam's hand, leading her back to the dance floor. Pam was laughing gleefully as they became a blur of swirls and smoke. It was nice to see her having so much fun. I knew her attentions usually only strayed to women, but it was clear that Preston meant something different to her. _At least someone is acting like they're on vacation._ I thought to myself with just a twinge of bitterness.

"Bill, go to the bar and get Sookie a gin & tonic. I would like to speak with her privately for a moment." Eric commanded him, and he obeyed without saying a word.

"Sookie, listen to me" Eric said so quietly that I had to strain myself to hear him over the music, "you almost did a very foolish thing. I know you were trying to pass some information to me under the guise of giving an opinion, but you have to be more careful. Luckily, it hasn't entered Preston's wildest imaginings that you are right about Felipe. However, we can't let Pam or Bill catch on to your ability yet either. It isn't safe." Eric said with a genuine look of concern. I was about to reply when Bill returned to the table with my drink. He handed it to me gently and then turned and walked to the opposite side of the bar.

"I know Eric, I'm sorry." I said, downcast.

"It's alright, lover, let's forget about it for now. We must show Pam and Preston what it means to dance." He smiled at me with such affection that I couldn't say no.

* * * * *

After a few hours on the dance floor and more than one expertly mixed gin & tonic, I was ready for bed. Preston, Pam, Eric and I had all danced with one another, switching partners and laughing like old friends. Bill remained in the corner the whole time, watching us with an inscrutable expression. I knew he still had feelings for me, but it was actually starting to become a cause for alarm. Under the pretension of trying to get Bill to come dance with us some time around 5am, I went over to speak with him. My liquid courage had forced me to act; I genuinely cared about Bill's happiness and something needed to be done.

"Bill, you have to stop this. You are starting to anger Preston, for one, and Eric will know why you are brooding and he won't like it." I said, staring at him intently but with compassion.

"Sookie, you don't understand. I don't care. I'm…I'm losing my hunger." He said, as though it were the most embarrassing thing in the world.

Before I could ask him what that meant, Eric had swept up to my side and was looking at Bill in frustration.

"Compton, I expect _much_ better behavior from you tomorrow. I suggest you go make yourself comfortable in your room. I am taking my lover to bed." Eric took my hand and started leading me towards the door. I looked back at Bill before leaving the restaurant and saw him quickly brush off his cheek.

* * * * *

By the time we made it back to our room on the 13th floor, I was totally exhausted. Not even the prospect of a shower with Eric or a double-bacon from Wendy's could entice me enough to stay awake. So when Eric said that we needed to talk and make arrangements for tomorrow night, I said point-blank no. As it was only 5am, Eric would still be up for another two hours; Preston had let us leave early because he said he wanted to do some catching up with Pam. I figured that Eric would sense my fatigue through the bond and let me rest, but I was wrong. My unwillingness to talk about De Castro irritated the hell out of him.

"Sookie, I know you're tired but we have to talk _now_. Just after nightfall tomorrow we will have to question Felipe and Victor. We may not have much time to talk when we wake up." Eric said pleadingly. I knew he was right, but it had been a hell of a difficult night for me and I wanted my sleep more than I cared about Eric's irritation.

"Eric, listen to me. Tonight I have taken your blood, twice, unquestioningly. I have participated in vampire politics, been magically seduced more than once, had Bill walk on in us, feared for our lives, listened in on vampire thoughts and not eaten a single bite of human food. We are supposed to be on vacation, for God's sake, and I am tired. You will just have to find ten whole minutes to talk to me when we wake up because I'm done for tonight." I said while taking off my dress and hanging it up carefully. I got into bed, pulled up the sheets, and only then did I look at Eric for his reaction. For a moment I thought he was going to start yelling at me, but then he simply removed his suit and climbed into bed beside me.

"It will get better, lover, I promise." Eric said while nuzzling into my neck and kissing me sweetly.

Too bad I knew thing were about to get way worse.

TBC – Thanks to everyone who continues to show interest in the fic, I really appreciate it. Please review! Your comments and feedback keep me writing!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

Author's note: I know some of you are worried about Bill, but you'll have to hang in there a little while longer. He's not in this chapter.

Chapter 13

I awoke with a start and turned to look at the clock on the bedside table. _ It's only 2:15pm! _I thought excitedly, and jumped out of bed. Eric wouldn't be awake for another three and a half hours, so I could finally go outside and enjoy the sun. I planned to be back in the hotel room for five-ish, so that I would have plenty of time to take a quick shower before Eric got out of bed. _Eric won't be mad; he didn't say I couldn't leave the room alone. Besides, Felipe and Victor will still be asleep as well._ _I should really eat though, I'm starving. _I walked over to the mini-bar and opened the fridge to find a beautiful basket filled with fresh fruit. I decided to have a light breakfast and put on a pot of coffee while I rummaged through my suitcases for a swimsuit and a pair of shorts. Deciding on a simple white bikini and a pair of cutoffs, I grabbed some thong sandals to match and sat down for breakfast.

_It's kind of nice to have a moment's peace to think. These last few nights have been such a blur._ _I can't believe I flew here on Saturday night, and it's now only Monday afternoon. So many things have happened since then…I wonder what Bill meant by losing his hunger._

I suddenly felt a little guilty about the way things had played out last night. I had never seen Bill so low, so depressed. I also didn't take the time to explain to Eric what I had heard from De Castro's head. I had had a few drinks and I was exhausted, but Eric was only trying to form a plan. _Too late to worry about that now I guess_. I thought, and went to brush my teeth before heading to the pool. I was halfway out the door, when I decided I should leave Eric a note just in case I lost track of time or he woke up early.

_Eric, I'm gone down to the pool. I should be back before you wake up. -Love, Sookie._

With that, I was ready to soak up the sun.

* * * * *

The Nighthouse and its amenities were just as beautiful during the day. While the interior of the hotel kept its evening feel and was just as dim as at night, of course, as soon as I stepped outside I knew I had been craving sunlight and fresh air. The enormous outdoor pool and famous hot-tub were to the back of the hotel, partially surrounded by the east and west wings. There was a large gap directly in between the two wings which opened up onto a section of perfect sandy beach and beautiful blue waters. The air smelled of flowers and saltwater and sun; it sounded of lapping waves and birds and tranquility. I was immediately swept up in a feeling of peace. Whatever happens, I thought, _I have this moment._ The only thing which struck me as odd, was that the entire outdoor area was virtually deserted save for a bored-looking young man waiting at the outdoor bar in the off chance a human wanted a drink. _It's a vampire hotel, Sookie, everyone is still asleep. Even the humans keeping vamp hours are asleep. This place is probably packed at night._

Settling on a lounge chair near the pool, I pulled off my shorts and spread out a plush towel I had picked up from a huge wicker basket nearby. I signaled for the bartender to come over, _it's not like he's doing anything else_, I thought. He approached me almost eagerly.

"Good afternoon, Miss" the young, tan, obviously supe server started "what can I do for you?" He smiled sincerely.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like you to let me know when it is 5:00pm. I would also like a blue Hawaiian and a bottle of bronzing oil if it isn't too much trouble." I smiled back, blushing at being such a cliché.

"Absolutely Miss." He turned and walked back to the bar.

_I could get used to this_ I thought sinfully to myself. After a moment, the server returned with my drink and the bronzer and I realized I had forgotten to ask Eric about Bubba. _I'll have to do it tonight _I thought to myself. _I hope he's okay._ I took one sip of my drink, and then sunk into a state of total contentment. _I will worry about De Castro, Eric, Bill and everyone else in a few hours. Right now I am going to relax._

And I did.

* * * * *

I guess I had drifted off to sleep, because the next thing I knew I was being poked gently by the young waiter.

"Umm, Miss? It's just after 5:00pm." He said, continuing to tap me gently on the arm.

"Oh! Goodness, thank-you." I said, rousing from my afternoon nap.

"No problem Miss. I hope to see you again tomorrow. The sun will be setting soon and my shift is almost over." He said, smiling, and walked away.

Taking off my sunglasses and looking around me, I noticed that it was very nearly evening and would soon be starting to get dark out. I wasn't at all bothered by this, in fact, I was glad that I felt safe enough to fall asleep by the pool. It had been a long time since I'd truly relaxed, and under the circumstances it was a wonderful gift, even if it only lasted for a couple of hours. Resigning myself to the fact that I now had to go inside and deal with a whole bunch of political vampire crap, I got up and pulled on my shorts. It would still be nice to see Eric.

As I passed the front desk, a young woman at the counter called out to me and signaled that I walk over. She was holding a manila envelope.

"You are Miss Stackhouse, correct?" The woman with a nametag reading 'Suzanne' asked me as I approached the desk.

"Yes." I replied, surprised that she knew me by sight.

"This just arrived for you by rush delivery. It came with the directive that it was for your eyes only. I am to hand it to you personally, and offer you our safe deposit box should you wish to use it." Suzanne said, eyeing my suspiciously.

"Umm, thank you Suzanne. I will not need the safe." I reached out and accepted the manila envelope, surprised at how thick and heavy it was, then walked away. If this was for my eyes only, I would be looking at it in my suite, not the lobby. Anything sent to me could certainly be shared with Eric. Besides, he would still be sleeping so I'd get to see it with my own two eyes first. Suddenly excited about its contents, I rushed to the elevator and then to our room. When I opened the door, I breathed a sigh of relief that Eric was still lying peacefully on the bed, undisturbed. Closing the door and locking it, I ripped open the envelope. I instantly knew why it was so thick; it was heavily padded to keep the contents from ripping through the envelope. I reached inside and pulled out a small piece of ivory colored cardboard, first. In beautiful calligraphy, it read:

_Just in case – Niall_.

Reaching in cautiously for the second item, I gasped when I pulled out a small, leather sheathed dagger. Slipping it from the sheath, I noticed it was pure silver and engraved with a large N. Niall had obviously sent me his own, very ornate, dagger. I was at once touched, and more than a little frightened. He must have heard somehow about the impending takeover of Hawaii and knew I was here 'vacationing'. I would have to call him and thank him; perhaps even ask him if he had any more information than I did. Eric wouldn't be happy to know that Niall was involved, but at least he had sent me the dagger instead of showing up and delivering it personally.

I looked at the clock. 5:35pm; Eric would be waking up in ten minutes or so. I decided to just sit down and wait. It wouldn't be a good idea to call Niall without talking to Eric first, and I certainly didn't want to leave a silver dagger on the dresser while I showered without explaining it. Carefully putting the dagger back in its sheath, it was very sharp; I placed it on the dresser and walked over to the bed. I picked up the note I had left on the pillow and threw in the garbage, and then slipped off my clothes and lay down with Eric. As soon as my skin came in contact with his, he woke up.

"Good evening, dear one" Eric said, and turned his face to my neck "you smell of many different things. What has my lover been doing without me?" He asked, adorably hurt-sounding. Before I could answer, he started again: "sunshine, saltwater, coconut oil and…" he paused for a moment before continuing, "fairy?" He sat up straight and looked at me curiously. "I don't believe you have been in _contact_ with a fairy, as the scent is very mild, but it is still there. Sookie, would you care to explain what is going on?" He asked me gently.

Eric's senses must be very acute indeed if he could smell fairy from Niall's dagger. Either that or the dagger has been in Niall's possession for so long that its very essence has become imbibed with his scent. Regardless, it was impressive.

"Well, Eric, all of those things are correct. I went outside to lie in the sun for a couple of hours. When I was returning to our room, I received a package from the front desk." I said, motioning to the dresser. "It was a gift from Niall. Don't touch it, even though it's sheathed. It is a dagger of pure silver; Niall's own." I said with a hint of pride.

Eric's expression instantly became one of total awe. "Show me" was all he said.

I stood up and went to the dresser, grabbing the dagger and the note. I handed Eric the note, and unsheathed the dagger, laying it flat on my palm so that he could he could examine it. Eric first lifted the cardboard to his nose, and smiled in ecstasy. Then he leaned over, ever so slowly, to take in the intricately engraved hilt. I watched his eyes as they looked at the razor sharp point of the blade, and heard him growl a little. It was as though he expected the knife to leap out of my hand and stab him. I almost laughed, but decided against it. He then looked at me with a terrifying expression.

"Put it away. I do not want it anywhere near you. It is too dangerous Sookie; I don't care what you say. If another vampire were to discover you were concealing a silver dagger, it would be extremely difficult for me to protect you. More difficult than it already is." Eric said sadly.

"I was told there is a deposit box available to me. Should I put it there?" I asked him, disappointed. It was hard for me to part with something so beautiful, so valuable. I understood Eric's reasoning of course, but it still irritated me.

"I honestly don't know. You do not realize the meaning of what Niall has bestowed upon you. This isn't just a silver dagger, Sookie. It is a fae weapon, one that has been passed to a rightful heir. You would be very dangerous wielding it, even if you don't know how to fight." Eric said, and started pacing around. "Even more puzzling is how Niall knew to send it here. Unfortunately, we don't have time to think about it right now. We need to discuss what you heard from Felipe's mind, and then meet Preston, Pam and Bill for the questioning." Eric said.

I could feel his anxiety strongly through the bond. I wanted to comfort him, but I knew it was useless. I also wanted to call Niall, ask Eric about Bubba, and find out if vampires could ever become, well, less vampire-y. I knew we didn't have time to do these things, but that last issue had been plaguing me since last night. I wasn't sure if I should mention it or not though, Eric would instantly know I was talking about Bill and somehow that felt like betraying his trust.

"Well, can we at least talk while taking a shower? I feel gross." I said, walking towards the bathroom.

"Do you really think that we'll _talk_ in the shower, lover? I smell the fae in you, more acutely now since handling the dagger." Eric said, his fangs extending and a look of hunger taking over his face. "We have no time to waste Sookie. We will shower separately, after you've told me everything you know." He said, even though I could tell it pained him to say so.

"Well, it's exactly like Bill thought" I started to say "Felipe and Victor came here under the pretense of punishing you for vacationing here without permission. They want other royals to know that disloyalty will not be tolerated. Felipe thinks that by making an example out of you, it will be easier to exercise control over others when the time comes. He intends to take every state, one by one, and become King of America. He has sent for his retinue and expects they will be here in a couple of days, but he doesn't know when. It may even be as soon as tomorrow. Felipe said that he would publicly apologize to Preston, and that those who are loyal to him will demonstrate their affection. He assumes Preston will throw a party celebrating their new friendship, at which time it will instead be open war." I said, and looked at Eric to gage his opinion of the situation.

He looked at me blankly for a moment, but then asked: "and how does he expect to _make an example out of me_ as you said? Sookie, I know when you are holding something back." He finished, and walked over to hold my hand. I didn't really want to tell him this part Felipe's horrid plan, but I guess I had to.

"Felipe intends to chain you to silver and make you watch as he…takes me." I said. There was no point in sugar coating it. Eric wouldn't let anything happen to me anyway, at least now we could prepare for the worst. Eric was staring at the floor, and his hand was shaking in mine. His anger filled me up to the point where I was actually frightened of what Eric was going to do.

"You got this from Felipe's mind? Last night?" He said, rage lacing every syllable.

"Yes. He said he was going to torture you so badly that you'd want to meet the sun before he was finished." I said, and lifted his chin to look me in the eye. "But none of that will happen, Eric. We have the upper hand. We will be two steps ahead of him at every turn." I said reassuringly, and kissed him. I couldn't hold his anger in my body; it was too much. I had to do something to calm him down. "Eric" I said, pulling him towards the bathroom "you need to clear your head before you question Felipe and Victor. If you walk in there like this, you will kill them both. We need to approach this situation the right way." I said gently, and turned on the taps.

Eric seemed to sense that I was trying to distract him, and let go of my hand.

"Sookie" Eric said pleadingly "I am hungry, I am wild with anger, and you still smell of fairy. I will not shower with you, I could hurt you. We also don't have much time" He said, and I could tell the idea of being with me was starting to ease some of his hostility; even as he argued against it, he was starting to want it more and more.

"Come with me, Eric" I said, getting inside the shower.

So he did, twice, before the there was a knock at the door.

TBC – Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic. I really didn't expect to write more than a few chapters at first, but your feedback and kind words have made me keep going. So, please review! I'd love to hear anything you have to say!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: Sorry about the delay with this update; a few people requested that I make the chapters a little longer. Since I don't have a lot of time this week, longer chapters will mean a *slightly* longer wait. Bill fans: next chapter, I promise. As for those of you who requested a little Eric/Sookie excitement; enjoy.

Chapter 14

At the sound of someone knocking, Eric hopped out of the shower and went to look through the peephole, naked.

"Sookie, it's just Bill and Pam. I'm letting them in." Eric said.

I guess he wasn't too concerned about them seeing him in the buff, because he didn't so much as grab a towel before opening the door. He did, however, close the door to the bathroom so that I wouldn't be disturbed while getting ready. I'm not sure why it didn't bother me that he was entertaining guests naked, especially since I knew he was only doing it to irritate Bill, but I actually found it kind of amusing. I guess spending so much time with Eric was starting to alter my sense of humor. Or perhaps I was only feeling _his _amusement through the bond. Either way, I laughed the entire time I dried off and got dressed. After spending a long night in an expensive gown, I was totally ready to go casual. I selected a pair of old Levi's which fit perfectly around the hips and were faded in all the rights places, to wear with a white stretchy tank top which accentuated my breasts and tan. Overall, I looked like a normal girl in her twenties on vacation. _Yeah right. _Quickly towel drying my hair and applying some light makeup, I picked out a cute shell necklace and was ready to go.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I noticed that Bill, Pam and Eric, who was now dressed in dark jeans and a black fitted tank, were all sitting at the table near the window talking and drinking True Bloods. I guess Pam or Bill had brought them thinking Eric might be hungry as he might not have had time to feed on me before we left for the questioning. I also noticed, to my relief, that Eric had been smart enough to quickly place the manila envelope on top of the dagger before answering the door.

As soon as they saw me standing in the room, they all stopped talking instantly. _Great, after everything we've been through they are still keeping secrets. _Sensing my growing frustration, Eric got up and walked over to me. I got a quick glance of us standing next to each other in the mirror and the strangest thought came over me. _Eric and I are starting to look alike._ There I was in light jeans and a white tank, with a tan and blond hair in waves since I hadn't styled it. There he was in dark jeans and a black tank, pale with blond hair, also wavy and gorgeously unkempt. I was getting healthier all the time from drinking Eric's blood, and he was looking flush from our shower together. Seeing us standing next to one another I felt like we were two sides of the same coin. We shared emotions now, I shared his thoughts from time to time…it was a strange image to see staring back at you from a hotel mirror. I think Eric noticed it too; he looked sideways at our reflection for a moment before finally speaking.

"Sookie, we were just discussing the most effective way to go about questioning Felipe, and have decided it is in everyone's best interest to keep you here in the room. Preston will send guards to stand outside your door while we are gone. Besides, you can order yourself some dinner while you wait. We shouldn't be long." Eric said, and looked at me desperately. His eyes were begging me not to argue.

"Absolutely not" I started, refusing to give in to Eric's command "I will be safe at your side, Eric." I looked at him straight in the eyes with as much authority as I could manage.

"It is not entirely about safety, lover. Felipe is still a king, a vampire king. We must, as you said earlier, _approach this situation the right way_." He looked at me again, and this time I saw something else in his eyes. He was straining to project.

_Sookie, when we leave you must call Niall. Inquire about the dagger; find out what else he knows. I will be back as soon as I can. Stay here. Under no circumstances can you leave this room._

"Alright _master_" I said sarcastically to Eric, so that Pam and Bill wouldn't be as suspicious about my willingness to comply.

Eric visibly relaxed, and turned back towards the table.

"We are meeting Preston on the 11th floor in five minutes. Are we all clear on the plan?" He asked Bill.

"Yes, Eric." Bill spat out _Eric_ as though it were an awful taste in his mouth. He then got up and walked out of the room, ignoring me completely.

"Pam?" Eric asked.

"Of course, master" Pam said with an evil smile, her fangs extended.

"Let's go then." Eric said.

Pam then walked over to us, stopping for a moment on the way out.

"See you soon, Sookie." Pam said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, and left closing the door behind her.

"I won't be long, dear one, do not worry." Eric said, and bent over the kiss me. When he pulled away, I noticed that his fangs were extended as well. As he left the hotel room, I wondered what kind of questioning required fangs.

* * * * *

_Well, I guess I'm stuck here_. I thought, looking through the peephole to see two armed guards similar to the ones who stood outside Preston's restaurant. _I might as well order dinner like Eric suggested…and eat it alone. Some holiday. _Grabbing the small menu on the bedside table and looking over the selections, I realized just how starving I actually was. _Maybe I should be grateful for having an opportunity to order room service and eat a real meal. _Now that I wasn't being watched hungrily by Eric and Preston, it was a good opportunity to have that steak I had originally wanted last night. I dialed the kitchen and ordered it, along with a bottle of Shiraz, a fully loaded baked potato, and a side salad. It would be arriving in half an hour; just enough time to call Niall. Fishing through my purse for his card, I found it and suddenly felt a little anxious. I never really knew what to say to Niall. Taking a few deep breaths, I picked up the receiver. After a few rings, someone answered.

"Hello, umm…this is Sookie, uh, calling for Niall." I said nervously.

"Hold please" said a very operator-sounding woman. _Or operator -sounding fairy, I guess._

"Certainly" I replied. I guess Niall was too important to answer his phone. Or perhaps he was somewhere fairy-like and had to be summoned or something. I didn't know a whole lot about what he did during the day, or night, and I certainly didn't know where he was.

"Child" the light and resonant voice of my great-grandfather said "I am pleased that you have called me. I take it you received the parcel?" He asked demurely.

"Yes, I have. Thank you so much. I am calling to ask you if you know anything about De Castro's plans. I assume you already know he is here, or you wouldn't have sent me the beautiful dagger." I said.

"Beautiful? I hadn't really thought of it like that, but yes I suppose it is beautiful. As much as a weapon can be." He answered, without actually answering anything at all. I decided to indulge his manner of speaking and discuss the dagger a little more. Clearly he wanted to.

"By the large engraved N, it seems you sent me your own _personal_ weapon. I am very touched. Eric could sense the fae from it, from me after having held it. Have you had it for a long time?" I asked him, curious.

"I had intended it to be for your eyes only, but alas, I suppose it is inevitable that the Viking know of it as well. Yes, child, I have possessed the dagger for over eight centuries. It doesn't surprise me that Eric could sense the fae from it. After many years in my hands, spilling the blood of my enemies, it has developed an essence of fairy magic. It was difficult for me to part with it, but your need is greater than my own. I would ask, Sookie, that you keep it with you at all times until you return to Bon Temps. If something were to happen to it, I would be terribly aggrieved." He said solemnly.

_Oh no. Eric forbid me to wear it, and now I have to promise Niall that I will._

"I will guard it with my life." I said, sweetly.

"Actually, great-granddaughter, it will guard you." Niall said cryptically. I decided to change the subject.

"Well, again thank you. So do you know anything about De Castro?" I asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not. I could sense you were in danger; that is all." He said gently.

"Oh, okay. Well I won't take up any more of your time." I said.

"Child, I would have you call me as often as you like. If you need my assistance, I will be there." Niall said simply.

"I'll let you know. Thank you." I said, and we both hung up.

_Well that was odd. Then again, most conversations with Niall are. _I walked back over to the dresser where I had laid the sheathed dagger, and picked it up. Running my finger along the hilt, I felt an unusual thrill. I am not one for violence, and I know nothing about fighting or battles or war, but holding this made me feel awakened with new strength. I laid it back down quickly. _If I take this with me wherever I go, I'll be losing yet another fraction of my humanness. Is that what I really want?_

Before I could contemplate the matter any further, there was a gentle tap on the door and the guards called out to say room service had arrived. I went over to the peephole once more, to be safe. Seeing the cart, I opened the door and pulled it inside. Thanking the hotel attendant and guards, I closed the door behind me and locked it again. If I'm going to break one promise to Eric, then I would keep this one. He would come back and find me inside, waiting. _As much as it irked me to be barred up like some pet. _

I rolled the cart over to the table near the window and sat down. I pulled the top off of the serving tray, and my mouth started to water instantly. The steak looked perfect. Opening the bottle of wine and pouring a glass, I dug in.

It was the best meal I had ever eaten alone.

* * * * *

By the time I had finished eating every speck of food on the plate, and drank a generous glass of wine, it was just after 8:30pm. Eric, Pam and Bill had left the room around 7:00, and I was getting a little anxious. Eric promised they wouldn't be long, but then he couldn't have known how it would go with Felipe. I hoped everything was okay. I assumed it was, given what I had heard of Felipe's intentions. The other vamps wouldn't be arriving until tomorrow night I thought, and De Castro wanted to offer his apologies and friendship to Preston first. If he stayed true to plan, everything should be okay for tonight. _So then, why am I feeling scared all of a sudden? Just nerves, Sookie, relax._

Trying to keep myself busy, I turned the television to a music channel and decided to take in the fantastic view while dancing around a little. There was still the issue of the dagger, and what I would tell Eric. I knew he was going to be mad, but I made a promise to Niall and I intended to keep it. All in all, though, I didn't really want to think about it tonight. I wanted to have fun with Eric, walk along the beach, and make love under the moonlight and stars. Instead I was stuck in a hotel room alone worrying about an impending war and how to conceal a deadly weapon. Shaking it off, I let myself get into the rhythm of the song. I didn't know what Eric planned for us to do tonight, if anything at all, but for right now I was going to enjoy the luxury of the suite and dance. I might even have a second glass of wine.

Swaying to the music, and letting my mind relax, I started feeling a little better. Sometimes you just had to remind yourself to enjoy the moment. In the last couple of years, my world had become so unpredictable and crazy that my sanity depended on it. I felt a small flush of pride. Twice today I had been able to appreciate the gifts that life has given me, without constantly wishing things were better or different than they are. Gran would be pleased.

Suddenly, I got a rush of excitement through the bond. Eric must be getting ready to come back. I had to discover a way to hide the dagger on my body, and quickly. I would tell Eric about it later, but I promised Niall I would keep it with me and I couldn't let Pam, Bill, or Preston see it at all. Since they might be coming back with Eric, and all five of us might be leaving immediately after that, I had to put it on _now_. The shirt was too tight, so my only option was to strap it to one of my calves under my lightly flared jeans. I remembered the dress that Eric had ripped in half yesterday evening before we went to Eventide. I hoped it was still in the wastebasket. _Of course it is no one has been in the room for a turndown service!_ I thought excitedly. Rushing over to the wastebasket and seeing my dress on top, I grabbed it and ripped off a long strip. Folding it in half widthwise so it was a thin strap, I secured the sheathed dagger to my leg with the fabric and tied it in a tight knot. Pulling my jeans down over it, I noticed it was totally hidden. I would just have to make sure I didn't draw attention to it. As soon as I had taken a few steps to make sure it was fastened properly, the door opened and Eric strode in contentedly, alone. _I guess it will just be Eric and me after all!_ I thought happily. He walked over to me without saying a word, and grabbed me in a tight embrace.

"Thank you for staying here, dear one, I know you didn't want to." He said into my neck, kissing me hotly.

"How did everything go?" I asked him, starting to feel myself weaken at the knees.

"Shh, we will talk about all that later. For now, I want to touch you and make you moan." Eric said softly.

"But Eric, I need to tell you something first. I spoke to Niall." I said, lifting up the leg of my jeans and exposing the fabric-fastened dagger nervously. At that, Eric picked me up and quite literally tossed me on the bed.

"You've been bad, lover." He said, staring at me smolderingly. I noticed his fangs had run down. This was not the reaction I expected at all. But then, Eric did surprise me from time to time. _Vampire_, I reminded myself yet again.

"Does this mean you aren't mad?" I asked him.

"Oh yes. You will pay for disobeying me, Sookie. Also, I seem to recall you teasing me endlessly on the flight over. I warned you that you would come to regret it. The time has come for me to exact my revenge." He said, and walked over to the television to turn up the volume on the music channel.

The room filled with rhythm and blues. I instantly knew where he was going with this. Eric was about to tease me until I begged him to stop. I could feel his bloodlust, his hunger, his lingering excitement from undoubtedly having 'questioned' Felipe. This was a 1000 year old Viking vampire who knew how to make a girl scream, and I was about to get the full extent of his arsenal.

"While you look so dangerously delicious with a fairy weapon, lover, I would ask that you remove it." Eric said, looking at me intensely "for now." He finished. I immediately obeyed, and placed the dagger on the bedside table. Eric walked over to me and picked up the piece of fabric I had used to bind it to my leg. Without asking permission, Eric lifted up my head and blindfolded me with it. _Maybe I really had bitten off more than I could chew that night. _If I hadn't been feeling his incredible arousal and anticipation in the bond I might have been nervous. As it was, I was already panting with lust and knew I was getting wet. I could feel him close to me, but I could no longer see a thing. Eric crooned into my ear "don't worry lover. I will make you come, and come, and come. But first, I am going to play." He said in a whisper, and licked the lobe of my ear. I was already shaking with desire.

I could hear him taking off his clothes, and I wished desperately that I could see his perfect muscular body. A few seconds later he pulled off my jeans and tank top, leaving me in a white lace bra and panty set.

"You look amazing" Eric said to me, while tracing a line down my body with his fingers. "You must promise me not to touch yourself when things start to get intense." He then said sensuously.

I nodded, but I was already getting frustrated with need.

"I will not bind your hands, as I would like you to touch _me_" he said coyly "but do not give in to your body. It is for me to decide when you release." He said finally, and then started running his fingers over my panties. I could feel him moving down the bed, and then feel his face near my mound. He licked my panties, deliberately not touching actual flesh. He ran his hands down my thighs and then up my chest to my breasts. He put a hand underneath my bra and flicked my nipple gently while running his tongue over my nub though my panties. I could feel a pulse generating from my nub as though all my blood was rushing to my groin. He pushed the fabric to the side for a second only, and pushed two fingers into my wetness, testing me. Satisfied, he then pulled them out immediately.

A few moments passed, and he didn't touch me at all. He just lay by me and waited. I was in total agony. A few more moments passed, and I started to squirm on the bed. _Was he just going to leave me here like this?_ Another moment, and then he bit my breast, letting the blood tricking down my chest without sucking from me. I was moaning, now. _Eric, baby, please. _I thought to myself. He then moved back down to my mound and bit my groin, letting the blood trickle again. I screamed out for him to take me but he ignored me. And then, when I couldn't take it any longer, he was licking me from head to toe and taking every drop of blood he had spilled into his mouth. He was kissing me, he was touching me, and he was licking me. Before I knew it he was on top of me, and I was running my nails down his back. I think I was screaming, but I don't know for sure. All I knew was that Eric then ripped off my bra and panties and slid himself into me. I may have died at that moment because I could no longer think coherently. _Eric oh God, please stay inside me._ I thought desperately, but he didn't. As soon as I started to shake underneath him, he pulled out. By now, Eric was moaning just as much as I was but I knew he wouldn't give in. I felt him rub himself directly over my nub, over and over until I was on the brink of climaxing. We were both consumed with ecstasy and the bond was filled with out lust and our love. At that moment, I had to see my Viking. I reached up and pulled off the blindfold and stared into his eyes.

"Please, Eric." I begged "I love you, please." I said, in clear pain.

"Yes lover" he replied, and entered me.

As he filled me up and touched me and kissed me, I ran my hands through his hair and down his back and over his gorgeous bum. We moved in perfect sync with one another, staring at each other passionately with every thrust. Eric's torso was aligned in such a position that he was rubbing my nub with his groin while he entered me, and hitting me perfectly on the inside too. He was yelling my name; I was nearly crying from the build up and from the way the moonlight entered the room through the window and landed on his gorgeous hair. I was with Eric; I never wanted to be without him.

TBC – Thank you all so much for your interest in the fic and your kind words. As always, your feedback is appreciated and keeps me writing!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: I sincerely apologize for the delay getting this chapter up. I had guests at my house over the weekend and no time to write. It will probably be like this until after Christmas; but if you decide to stick with the story I'll try to get a chapter posted every two or three days. Cheers!

Chapter 15

After an hour of lying next to each other and cuddling, we were both ready to get out of bed and make plans for the remainder of the night. Eric had just finished telling me what happened during the questioning; Felipe seemingly followed his plan to the letter and Preston was positively thrilled to learn that De Castro's retinue was on their way to Honolulu to offer him their so-called friendship and loyalty. Victor and Felipe were released from their guarded room, and had apparently then went to make arrangements for tomorrow's arrival of Nevada vampires. _Felipe had been right; Preston's love of affection is a major flaw in his character. _It is possible that Preston predicted something was amiss and was allowing it all to unfold, but I doubted it. Of course, Eric couldn't let on that he knew what De Castro's true intentions were but he assured me that he was planning a counter-attack and we should all be fine.

_So…tomorrow night is the arrival of Felipe's vamps, Preston is planning a big party for Wednesday night as Felipe predicted, and Thursday night we are scheduled to leave._ It looked like the next few days would be just as busy as the last few, but it seemed that for tonight everything was calm.

Hopping out and bed, I found that I was actually feeling pretty good. I had been managing to have some fun regardless of all the upheaval and drama. Even though the shit was about to hit the fan between Nevada and Hawaii, I couldn't bring myself to be too worried. _I really do trust my Viking_ I thought to myself with some surprise. Since Eric had also told me that I should get ready while he finished making arrangements for tonight, I was happy to oblige and went to take my second shower of the evening. The only thing I worried about was when Felipe was planning to punish Eric for his disobedience. I had originally assumed it would be the night of the party aka bloodbath; but now I couldn't be sure. _What if he was aiming for tonight?_ It seemed unlikely that Felipe would challenge Eric without hoards of other vamps nearby for protection, but what if he did?

Strangely, all these thoughts only helped to increase my desire to have fun with Eric now. We were constantly faced with adversity as a couple, it was inevitable. _We had to enjoy every moment of peace. _Lathering up my hair and letting the hot water run over my skin, I vowed to make the evening memorable.

* * * * *

"Lover" came Eric's voice from outside the bathroom door "I hate to interrupt" he said with a hint of playful sarcasm "but you need to hurry up. We're meeting Preston, Pam and Bill downstairs in less than half an hour." Eric finished.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" I said. "If I had known your plans sooner I'd already be dressed." I said, turning off the shower and opening the bathroom door in irritation. _So we're not going to get even one night alone _I thought to myself in frustration.

"Preston and I have planned something very special for tonight." Eric said softly, taking in the scowl on my face.

That shut me up instantly and I went to my suitcases and began rummaging for something to wear.

"Is this going to be formal?" I asked him sweetly.

"No, though I would recommend a simple dress anyway. I will be wearing jeans and a white button down shirt. Am I to assume that you will also be wearing the dagger, Sookie?" He asked me casually, as though it were a pair of shoes. I instantly thought this strange, considering his earlier reaction.

"Actually, yes I am. Niall insists that I keep it with me at all times while on vacation." I said, and grabbed a knee-length lacy blue dress which complimented my figure nicely but wasn't too fancy. It also flowed out from the hips enough that I could strap the dagger to my upper thigh and everyone would be oblivious to its presence. _Unless they could detect the fae _I thought to myself.

"I gathered as much, since you were wearing it when I got here. I asked you not to" Eric started to say thoughtfully "but Niall's right. You should be armed at all times. Make sure it is perfectly concealed, dear one." He finished, anxiety creeping through the bond.

"I will. Do you think we'll be in any danger tonight? Were Felipe and Victor invited to whatever you've planned?" I asked.

"Yes, they were invited as we had to keep up appearances. Luckily, they declined on the basis that they have too much to do." Eric said darkly.

"No doubt" I agreed. I was relieved they weren't coming, even though I knew they would inevitably be plotting our deaths over a few glasses of blood. Either way, one more night without Felipe in my presence was a night I could look forward to.

I quickly pulled on the dress, shoes, and strapped on Niall's dagger. I looked cute in a relaxed kind of way and that would have to do. Eric had already changed and was waiting at the door by the time I was ready.

* * * * *

When we got down to the lobby, I was relieved to see that Bill and Pam were already there but Preston was not. It would have been rude to keep a_ King_ waiting, I thought wryly to myself, even one as amiable as Preston. As we walked towards them, I noticed they were dressed in similar attire to how we had dressed. Pam was wearing a casual though pretty green dress, and Bill was wearing khakis and a white shirt. We looked beach-chic and I imagined that was exactly the point. _We are going to get to enjoy Hawaii a little tonight!_ I thought excitedly, and noticed that Pam was just as happy about that fact as I was. Bill, of course, was standing a few paces away looking somber. I would have to make a point to talk with him tonight.

"Eric" Bill said, and gave a little nod. Pam did the same, and then Eric responded in kind.

"Sookie, we are going to have _such_ fun tonight." Pam said, giving me a hug and grinning with fang.

"Sookie" Bill simply said, eyeing me from head to toe.

"Do y'all know what we're doing tonight?" I asked with a big smile.

"We were told that we'll be on the beach." Pam said with a glint in her eye.

"I've been dying to get my toes in the sand!" I said, and Eric laughed.

"You will have more than your toes in the sand before I'm done with you." He said mischievously.

At that moment, Preston entered the lobby. He was wearing white linen pants, and had a white linen scarf wrapped around his neck. He was shirtless, and his absolute physical beauty seemed to take up the entire room. As he walked towards us with his arms opened grandly, I realized that I had been looking forward to seeing him. Preston's air of supreme confidence and of course sensuality was totally contagious. I looked at Pam and Eric, and noticed that they too had perked up in his presence. We all bowed deeply, I was becoming adept at bowing regardless of my American heritage, and he walked right over to me and picked me up off the floor spinning me around.

"This will be a night to remember." He said, beaming. Pam then started laughing gaily and seemed to almost blush. Eric too, looked boyishly delighted.

Preston led us outside, past the pool where I had been sunbathing earlier. Like I thought, it was packed full of vamps, supes, and a few humans at night. The crowds naturally parted for Preston, and he smiled and inclined his head at a few guests while walking by. We made our way towards the sandy beach visible between the east and west wings of the hotel, and Preston paused to look at us.

"I have arranged for you a particularly exclusive gathering. It is my sincere wish that each and every one of us" he stopped and looked pointedly at Bill "relax and enjoy the night." He finished and walked towards the beach, rounding the corner and turning right. Before walking any further, he stopped and took off his sandals. I followed, and then gasped when I took in the luxurious and stunning setup on the beach.

There, by the ocean and under the stars, was an enormous shimmering tent which was translucent and absolutely breathtaking. You would be able to see the moon and stars and ocean perfectly from inside, and the large flap at the front was tied open, facing the ocean and breaking waves. Sitting in a small circle outside the tent, were a few supe men playing classical guitar. All around the tent and enclosed beach were male and female dancers in very light billowing clothes, dancing serenely and acting as though nothing else existed in the world. It was intoxicating, it was magical. The air even smelled of beauty and promise and pleasure.

Inside the tent, on the back wall, was a large table covered in a white cloth and sprinkled with flower petals of every imaginable color and size. On top, there were a few decanters of house blend and several bottles of champagne. There was no floor to the tent, so I was still walking on sand. There were a few small enclosures scattered throughout the inside of the tent as well; pushing aside a small piece of hanging fabric which served as an entrance to one such enclosure, I could see pillows and blankets covering the sand. I didn't think they would provide absolute privacy, but at least I wouldn't have to see Pam or Bill or Preston feeding outright. It was thoughtful of Preston to have it set up this way; surely the other vamps wouldn't have minded everything being totally open.

At that moment, Eric took my hand and looked at me. "I hope you like it. Tonight is all about you." He whispered into my ear, sending shivers up and down my spine.

Before I could respond, a beautiful voice rose above the warm rhythm of the classical guitars and began to sing. Pam took Bill's hand for a dance, Preston took the hand of a particularly striking dancer, and Eric took mine.

"You have made me very happy, lover." Eric breathed into my ear as we danced to the sultry sound of the exotic singer "I had forgotten what that's like." He said, and kissed me gently.

Rather than speak, I sent feelings of absolute contentment and love through the bond. I finally felt like I was on vacation.

* * * * *

After a few slow dances and a lot of slow kisses with my Viking, I went to get a glass of champagne and Eric went to speak with Preston. As I poured myself a glass of very expensive looking liquid, I felt a cool presence behind me and knew Bill had followed me to the table.

"You look beautiful when you dance, Sookie, even if it is with _Eric _and not me_._" Bill said into my ear quietly.

"Bill, please don't give me a reason to get upset with you." I said, turning around to face him. He looked crestfallen and I instantly felt guilty.

"Sookie, I" he started to say with a pained look in his eyes "I want you to know that I care about you. You're the only thing I care about." He said, to my utter amazement.

"Bill, I'm with Eric now." I said, trying not to be too brusque.

"I know that I hurt you. I regret it more than anything else." He said, staring at the floor.

"I forgive you for all that, Bill. I'm happy now." I said gently, and then turned back to my glass to finish pouring the champagne.

"The fact that you are happy with Eric has, Sookie it has _changed me_." Bill said, and when I turned back to look at him he was gone.

TBC – Reviews are better than chestnuts on an open fire…


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: Thank you all so much for your kind reviews and for continuing to read the story. I know some of you are really worried about Bill, hopefully this chapter will explain a few things. Also, for those of you who are lusting for battle and for butt-kicking dagger-wielding Sookie, that will all happen in the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 16

My encounter with Bill had left me feeling tired; I didn't know what I could do to help him and it seemed like I kept getting interrupted before having a chance to ask him exactly what was going on. Eric was still talking to Preston, and Pam was now dancing with the beautiful singer, so I had a moment to enjoy a glass of champagne and sit on the sand. I had no idea what time it was, but my increasing exhaustion was starting to take a toll. After finishing my champagne, I decided to sneak away to one of the enclosures and shut my eyes. _Surely no one would notice if I rested for a few minutes_; the gentle sound of classical guitar combined with crashing waves and the warm wind was lulling me into a semi-conscious state.

_Besides, Eric will find me here after a few minutes have passed._

Walking to the most secluded section of the tent and pushing aside a shimmering piece of silvery blue fabric, I sank down on top of the pile of soft pillows and wrapped a light blanket over me. I fell asleep instantly.

I woke up to Eric gently licking my neck and rubbing his hands over my waist and hips.

"You shouldn't have hidden away from me lover" Eric whispered into my ear.

"I didn't _hide_, Eric, I was just tired. Have I been in here for long?" I asked sleepily, turning my head to face him.

"You've been asleep for over an hour. I can always tell when you are sleeping, dear one, I feel your body relax as though it were my own." He said, while running a hand through my hair softly.

"Oh, well, thank you for waking me up. I only wanted to rest a little and return to the party." I said, still only half-awake.

"I think you will find that the _atmosphere _of the party has changed somewhat since you came in here. You are welcome to check, if you like, but I'm not sure it would be to your taste." Eric said with a grin, his fangs running down as he moved his lips from my neck to my chest. "Preston's charms have started to surface; the more he enjoys himself the more everyone else _wants_ to." Eric crooned into my skin.

I started to grow hot all over. Eric's words and Preston's seduction were starting to take a hold of me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to let myself go with it, or just go. I certainly had more than one fantasy of Eric and me on a beach at moonlight, but I can't pretend they included so many other people. Even if one of them was Preston, you'd have to be asexual not to find him attractive; the logical part of my brain just wasn't ready for that kind of thing.

"Eric, I'm not sure I want to do this here." I said shyly.

"Sookie, we can go anywhere you like. But if we are leaving, we should go now. I would like you to know that no one will invade our privacy though, and that you are perfectly safe." Eric said, and then tugged at my dress a little so it exposed my nipple. He licked it gently, and then sucked until I moaned.

His actions were speaking more loudly than his words and I was quickly melting into the pillows, a combination of arousal and tired comfort were tempting me to stay put. My logic was growing hazier by the second and Eric was being so sweet and gentle that I didn't want to ruin the moment.

"You may lay still, lover, and I will pleasure you. You are tired and I want you to enjoy your feelings of peace and relaxation." He said, and then his mouth was all over my skin. I could see the stars through the translucent roof of the tent, smell the flower petals from the table nearby, and my body was luxuriating in Eric's touch. I remember closing my eyes and drifting into a state of pure ecstasy as his tongue found me.

* * * * *

I awoke back in our suite, Eric sleeping peacefully by my side and the clock reading 1:30pm. I guess I had drifted off to sleep on the beach and Eric had carried me back to the room, tragically unsatisfied.

_Oh well_ I thought to myself with a laugh, it's not like he hasn't gotten plenty of attention since we got here. It was too early to get up, especially since tonight would be the night De Castro's vampires arrived. The party was scheduled for Wednesday night, so not until tomorrow, but I knew there would still be plenty of things to take care of and arrange tonight in preparation. I rolled over and kissed Eric gently on the forehead, and went back to sleep.

When I awoke this time, it was 5:25pm. I guess I really needed my sleep, as I had passed out well before sunrise. Eric was stirring; sunset was coming earlier each day and he tended to wake up slightly beforehand anyway. Eric's age allowed him a few liberties which younger vampires didn't have. Getting up from the bed to attend to my 'human needs,' I heard him get up.

"I think I'm becoming aware of your presence next to me during my daytime rest, dear one. When you got up just now, it woke me. That is…unusual." He said, as I walked back into the room from the bathroom. "If it had been earlier, I wouldn't have woken of course." He finished, as though reassuring himself.

It was unsettling.

"We're just getting used to sleeping with each other, Eric. It's a good thing." I said, and walked over to kiss him. He smiled at me, and then broke away, pensive.

"Sookie, I need to speak with Pam to make some plans for tonight. I don't want you to be alone. It will only take an hour or so, during which time you could order your dinner like you did last night. Would it suit you if I asked Bill to stay here with you?" He asked me quietly. I could feel his apprehension about leaving me here much more acutely than last night. I doubted he _wanted _to have me wait here alone with Bill, but I think he trusted him and knew a small part of me still cared about him as a friend.

"You don't need to ask anyone at all. I'll be okay in our room by myself for an hour." I said, slightly annoyed.

Eric ignored that last comment and dialed a number on his cell phone. I decided to take a shower while he made whatever arrangements he needed to make. Eric was always trying to take care of everything; he simply didn't want to believe I could take care of myself. I sighed, and turned on the taps.

As I was rinsing the shampoo from my hair, I heard Eric call out to me.

"I left a message for Bill to come here as soon as he rises, which should be in about twenty minutes." Eric said.

I didn't feel the need to reply. A moment later, Eric appeared in the bathroom.

"I know you'd love me to get in there with you lover" Eric said, opening the shower door and looking me over from head to toe "but I can't just give in to your every sexual whim." He grinned. "We haven't the time. Now get out so I can take a shower in peace." He said, and quick as a flash I was standing on the bathroom floor dripping wet and he was in the shower. _Vampires._ I thought, for the umpteenth time this trip.

Since I would be staying here for a couple of hours, I decided to put on some comfy clothes until told otherwise. I didn't know what Eric's plans were for the night; all I cared about was ordering some food and eating it in peace. I thought this would also be a good chance to talk to Bill, and try to figure out what's really going on.

* * * **

After ordering a club sandwich and watching Eric get dressed wistfully; he was really making a show of pulling a pair of faded jeans over his gorgeous bottom while licking his lips and winking at me, a knock came at the door. It was Bill, and he was looking more than a little angry.

"Eric." Bill said with a very sarcastic-looking bow.

"Compton" Eric said with an arched eyebrow "do you have a problem with guarding Sookie? I would have thought it an appropriate task." He said, challenging Bill to argue.

"I have no problem _spending time_ with Sookie. I simply imagine I would be of greater use to you in preparing for the Nevada vampires, who, I've just learned, will be here within the hour." Bill said stonily.

"You will be of use to me where I _say_ you will be of use to me." Eric replied, and that comment pretty much ended the conversation.

Bill stalked over to the table near the window and sat down. I glared at Eric, and he walked over and kissed me in spite of my evident frustration.

"I must go now, lover. I will be back within the hour. Enjoy your dinner." He said, and left the room.

_Now or never_ I thought to myself with a knot in my stomach, and walked over to talk to Bill.

"Bill, you have been trying to tell me something these past two nights. We are alone now." I said, imploring him to finally explain what's up.

"You wouldn't understand." Bill mumbled.

"Well then why try to tell me about it, twice?" I asked him.

"I can't stand seeing you with him." Bill said, which didn't answer my question at all.

"If you tell me what's going on, you will have earned back my trust" I started to say, a serious expression on my face "which is quite a big deal, considering the circumstances." I finished.

Bill looked at me and very nearly smiled, before his eyes filled back up with gloom.

"If another vampire were to find out what I'm about to tell you, it would probably mean..." He paused, and then continued "something very bad for me." He got up and walked around for a moment, as though debating whether to continue. Finally, he sat back down. "I've never heard of this happening before, which leads me to believe that my case is unique." He said, and looked at me anxiously.

"Explain." I said.

"Sookie, when a vampire really wants a human, he gets her. That doesn't work with you." He started to say, and then looked me in the eye "we both know that humans and vampires can love one another. But this is…different. Since losing you, I have started regressing into feeling more human-like emotions. My vampire instincts are often wrong; I'm not as hungry for blood or battle. I still can't be exposed to sunlight, but I am otherwise more like you than say Pam or _Eric._" He said, and I saw a look of supreme hatred sweep over his face.

_Oh my God._ _This is not good news, Bill would be worse than useless to Eric if he couldn't fight. Particularly if Eric knew that it was because he was pining away for me. I have to do something. _

By now, Bill was looking positively terrible.

"Bill, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" I asked him, knowing it was a stupid question.

"You can leave Eric and return to me. Short of that, Sookie, I really don't know." Bill said, and walked over to my side and kissed me before I could object. "I can't stay here in this room with you. I must go." He said, and turned around and walked towards the door.

"Bill, wait! Eric will be enraged if you don't stay here with me! What if the Nevada vampires find out I'm here alone?" I said, knowing I sounded desperate. I wasn't really worried about my own safety, I was worried about Bills.

"I'm very sorry Sookie." Bill said, and left.

I knew I couldn't run after him. I'd never catch him, and it would risk my life too. I _had_ to figure out a way to set Bill right. The only thing I could do to protect him for the moment, though, was to tell Eric I sent Bill away and let him get mad at me instead. I only hoped it would work.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: The Characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: Many of you are sending me pm's asking me to make the chapters longer. Since I waited for three days to post Chapter 16, I decided to write a quick chapter 17 and post it on the same day. My next post, Chapter 18, will be on Sunday and it will be much longer. Don't worry, the plot is still playing out how I intended. I just wanted to give you all a little more. I hope you enjoy it; don't say I never listen to requests! Please review!!!

Chapter 17

A few minutes after Bill left, I realized I was getting scared. Not only were we one night away from a vamp war, I didn't know when Felipe was planning to torture Eric. Bill was God knows where, the Nevada vampires would be arriving in minutes, and I was totally alone. It occurred to me that I should have played out the situation with Bill better than I had. There might have been something I could have done to convince him to stay, or I could have tried to go after him. At least I would have been doing something to occupy myself.

_This is pointless, pull yourself together_ I thought to myself with some resolve. Instantly I remembered the dagger. _I should put it on now, just in case. _I was wearing a loose black t-shirt and a pair of strategically ripped jeans from my younger days. If I was lucky and there was enough room, I might be able to strap it to my lower back instead of my leg. I thought it would be easier to access that way. Grabbing the piece of fabric I would forever think of as a blindfold, I fitted the sheath in place and tied it to my back. It was awkwardly done. _I guess I'm not an expert with knots. _I did feel a little better, though.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door to announce that room service had arrived. _I totally forget I ordered food _I thought to myself. I suddenly didn't know if I should open the door while alone. _Should I pretend I'm not here?_ I wondered. Another, and somewhat louder, knock came at the door. I crept slowly and quietly to the peephole. Sure enough, standing there with a room service cart was the young server who was rude to me on my first day here. _He's a jerk, but he's not a threat _I thought to myself and opened the door.

"Miss Stackhouse." He said in an arrogant tone of voice, which may in fact be his _only _tone of voice.

I gestured for him to come in with the tray this time, instead of wheeling it in myself. _It was petty, but hey, it felt good. _Closing the door behind him, he wheeled the cart over to me and removed the cover of the main tray. Before I could register the food on the platter, the server pulled a gun out of his pants and pistol whipped me across the face. I fell to the floor in agony and my head became a distorted blur.

"You didn't think Felipe wouldn't have an employee at every King or Queen's residence, did you?" The asshole I fully intended to kill said. Then I passed out.

* * * * *

When I woke up, I looked around and noticed Felipe and Victor standing with their backs turned to me. I assumed I was in Felipe's suite; it was similar to mine and Eric's. I was lying on a couch and my hands weren't bound. In fact, I seemed perfectly undisturbed in every way. I could feel the dagger, so I guess whoever brought me here didn't notice it. _That, at least, is a comforting thought._ I hadn't taken any of Eric's blood since Sunday night and it was now Tuesday. I would still be strong, but no match for a vampire. Let alone two vampires. One thing I did know was that I had to close my eyes and pretend I was still unconscious. Maybe then I could strain to hear their thoughts. It was unlikely, but it was my best bet. If I so much as flinched they would know I was awake. Just as I started to gather my mental strength and concentrate, they started to talk.

"Master, are you sure it was wise to have the telepath captured the night before the party? Preston will never trust you after this; he is Eric's colleague and friend." Victor said to Felipe.

"She is only a _human_" Felipe said in distaste "Preston would not risk our newfound friendship and start a war over a little girl." De Castro said. "He doesn't believe for a second that we are planning to initiate hostilities. Besides, it would be cowardly if I didn't punish Eric and his toy for their disobedience. Any King would expect this of another Royal" Felipe said. "I didn't intend to capture her tonight though. My overeager servant took the opportunity when he was invited into her suite. He has been dealt with. Frankly, I never imagined she would be so stupid as to open the door." He finished.

That was enough to make me want to rip the dagger from under my shirt and stab him. I knew he would be too quick, but it was a damn tempting thought.

"What of Compton?" Victor asked "he was adamant that the girl be completelyunharmed if he agreed to help us. I think he actually _loves_ her. What a fool he is." Victor finished with a smirk.

Bill was a traitor…so that made two of my ex-boyfriends. I knew Bill was an untrustworthy bastard who had broken my heart, cheated on me, lied to me, and a whole host of other terrible things. _But Bill couldn't be a traitor! _I didn't want to believe it, I couldn't. It had to be a trick of some sort. It was probably Eric's idea to have him pretend to switch sides. _He would never do this. _A feeling of nausea and pain swept over me, but I had to do my best to keep it in.

"We'll just have to kill him. He won't go along with the plan now. It's a shame really; he's a big earner and could have been a valuable asset. " De Castro said, as though he almost regretted it. "Turn on some music, Victor, as loud as it can go. I expect Eric will be here any minute; he is bonded to the girl and knows she is in pain. We wouldn't want the neighbors to hear the screams, it wouldn't be polite." Felipe said with a sadistic laugh.

I silently thanked God that neither of the vampires realized I was awake, and that the television was on the other side of the room. Victor wouldn't have to face me to turn it on. As soon as he cranked the volume, I would use the distraction and noise to grab my dagger. _Please work please work please work _I thought to myself. The room filled with Nine Inch Nails' Survivalism. I guess my fear had made me giddy again, because I almost laughed out loud at the strange irony of this song playing at this moment. As soon as the volume reached a deafening level, I slipped a hand around my back and yanked out the dagger, concealing it in between my leg and the couch. They hadn't noticed anything, so I shut my eyes again and continued pretending to be unconscious. I felt their eyes on me then, they must have imagined the music would wake me.

"She's really out" De Castro said with some amusement. "I guess my idiotic servant knew how to handle a weapon. That is, before I drained him." He finished.

Suddenly there was a violent pounding at the door and I heard Eric yelling with all the rage a 1000 year old Viking vampire could summon up.

"Open this door now or I will fucking kick it down. You won't survive long if you don't listen to me." Eric said, and his voice was _terrifying_.

I opened my eyes and saw Felipe and Victor walking towards the door. Now that I knew Eric was outside I felt safe enough to stand up.

"Calm yourself, Viking." Felipe yelled back. "I will open the door, and you will see your pet is unharmed."

As he opened the door, I ran up behind them with my dagger ready and pulsating in my hand. Eric saw me approaching but his face didn't register my presence. I don't know if it was Eric's arrival, the rage which filled our bond, or the incredible way the dagger seemed to feel in my hand. Before I could stop myself, I plunged it into Victor's back.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: I would sincerely like to thank everyone who has been reviewing. I've gotten some very kind comments and feedback, particularly for my last few chapters. You are the only thing keeping me interested in writing the story. So, thank you very much!!

Also, I know a lot of you were waiting patiently yesterday for Chapter 18, and a long one at that, but I've simply been too busy. The holidays and 'real life' are taking up all my time. I'm really very sorry…

Keep reading though and I'll keep writing. Anyway, thanks again and Happy Holidays!

Chapter 18

Victor's screams could have woken the dead. He started to smoke where I stabbed him, and then pieces of charred flesh were falling off his back and onto the floor in a heap of putrid ash. Victor literally crumbled from the wound and then disintegrated, leaving vamp gunk all over the wall, door and hardwood.

_This is some dagger_ I thought to myself, shocked, as I looked at my hand and watched it vibrate gently from the excitement. _It's as though the dagger drove me to stab Victor…no, it can't be. _

Meanwhile, Eric took advantage of the distraction I caused and grabbed De Castro, ramming him into the wall with a violent crunch. Pam ran inside after Eric, and gaped for a moment at the scene. She then rushed over to me and picked me up, trying to take me away from the battle. Disgusted by the smell of Victor's remains and the terrible pounding in my head, I threw up all over her and she dropped me on the floor from the surprise.

By now, Eric had a semi-conscious Felipe pinned to the wall. Regaining her composure, Pam walked over to Felipe and bit him while he was subdued, drinking deep. Presumably they didn't want to kill him or they would have staked him; it seemed like they were trying to bring him to within an inch of final death. Pam was still drinking, and Felipe had gone limp on the wall.

I then got up from the floor and walked towards them with the dagger. Pam instantly withdrew from Felipe, and stared in amazement at the silver dagger in my hand. Eric was simply looking at me questioningly.

"We can't kill him, dear one." Eric said sadly.

"Unfortunately, your crime against Victor was far more severe than Felipe's against you. You are virtually unharmed, you are human, and a powerful vampire has been killed. Though, I am glad that the scum is dead." Pam said, indicating Victor's remains. "You never cease to amuseme, Sookie. Or is it amaze?" She finished with a toothy grin, still admiring the dagger from a safe distance.

"Pam, call Preston and tell him what has happened. This changes everything. The Nevada vamps have arrived and they will be waiting to present themselves to him within minutes. We have to act fast." Eric said, clearly analyzing the situation in his mind and trying to find a quick solution.

"Yes Master." Pam said obediently, and started punching numbers in her cell phone.

"Sookie, are you okay?" Eric then asked me, concerned. He had now slung an unconscious Felipe over his shoulder and was laying him on the couch where I had been.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just have a headache." I said, rubbing my right cheek gently and finding it swollen.

"I imagine you do. The entire right side of your face is bruising as we speak." Eric said gently, and came over to kiss my other cheek. "I will heal you shortly; first we must make arrangements with Preston regarding Felipe." Eric said, and hugged me before walking over to Pam.

_She looked incredible wielding that blade, just like a young fairy... delicious. _I heard Eric think as he walked away, and I blushed in spite of myself.

At that moment, Bill ran in through the door, his face the picture of cold terror. Eric growled when he saw him and flew across the room in a fit of rage.

"Compton, where the _hell_ have you been?" Eric screamed at him "I asked you to look after Sookie, not leave her alone to be captured!" He said, his fangs extended and his hands in fists.

"If you would step back a little, Eric, I will tell you." Bill said flatly. Eric's face was menacing, but he retreated ever so slightly from Bill's face. Before he could continue, I interrupted.

"Eric, I made Bill leave. I wanted to be alone." I said, and looked at Bill pleading him to agree. He looked stunned for a moment, but then quickly recovered.

"I tried to argue with her" Bill said, which was only half a life. He _did_ argue with me, after all.

"Bill, we both know how stubborn Sookie can be when it comes to being protected, but she _could have been killed._" Eric said, in a voice both deadly and desperate at once.

"I was going to wait outside her door, but De Castro called me and made me come speak with him." Bill said. I didn't know if it was true or a complete fabrication. Bill seemed to be full of deceit. At the same time, could it mean that he wasn't a traitor? Surely if he was telling Eric about speaking to Felipe, Eric must have asked him to do it… _I was right!_

"Even so" Eric started to say, though I could tell he wasn't quite as angry as before "you should have alerted me to the fact that you were leaving the room. A few minutes after she was left alone, Sookie was abducted by…" Eric paused and looked at me "who took you, lover?" He asked me gently.

"A hotel room service attendant" I said, and everyone looked puzzled "he was working for De Castro, and wasn't supposed to kidnap me until tomorrow night. I heard Felipe say that he drained him for disobeying." I said.

"Which is why you opened the door, I take it?" Eric said, a look of understanding coming over his features. "Well that's one person I don't get to kill." He very nearly pouted at that, but turned to Pam and started talking again instead. "Have you informed Preston of our situation?" Eric asked, and Pam nodded.

"He has asked that we stay here until he and his guards can get here in half an hour. The Nevada vampires have been told that the King of Hawaii requests and audience with De Castro and therefore their meetings will be put on hold until further notice. Apparently, Preston can be political when required to do so. He has sent them to Eventide and ordered a round of House Blend." Pam said.

If I didn't know better, I would have thought Pam blushed when she spoke of Preston's ingenuity. It was odd, to say the least.

"Okay, we wait." Eric said, and then looked at Bill again "Compton, we have not finished our conversation. Be assured that I will speak to you again, _later._" Eric said later in such a way that I got chills. "For the time being, you will wait at the door for Preston's arrival. Pam, you will _very _quickly go to your room and change before he arrives. You look terrible. Sookie will get cleaned up here, with me. Bring her some clothes." He said, and Pam was gone before I could see her open the door. Bill left as well, and suddenly I was alone in a room with Eric and an unconscious Felipe.

"Eric, will he be passed out for long?" I asked, motioning to De Castro.

"I can't say for sure. Pam took a lot of his blood." Eric said thoughtfully, and then continued "an hour at best." He said.

"What if it's sooner? We're alone with him and he's going to be really angry and hungry when he wakes up" I said, scared.

"I don't think he's going to try and fight. I am uninjured and he'll be weak. Besides, he hadn't counted on a young fae warrior princess killing his second in command." Eric positively beamed with joy at that last comment, and picked me up. "I am going to bathe you, and then we will drink from one another, my lover." He said, in a tone which left no room for argument.

I nodded, and felt a small thrill of excitement over the impending shower with Eric. I knew we didn't have much time, but I really needed him. _All of him. _As soon as he turned on the taps and we were in the shower, Eric bit his arm and put it to my mouth from behind me. When I latched on and started drinking from him, he leaned over and bit my neck. We were drinking from each other at the same time and it was the strangest and most erotic feeling I'd ever felt. After a few more sips, Eric licked the wounds on my neck and turned me around to face him. He was inside me before my lips reached his mouth.

"You taste of fae, lover" Eric said in complete ecstasy while he thrust deep inside me "more than you normally do." His body rocked into mine with hunger and happiness and total longing. "I need you my lover, oh I need you." He yelled, and his motions were becoming more and more desperate. My back was pressed up against the shower wall and I was digging my nails into his back. My wetness was filled with him and we were both screaming from the pressure of our insane arousal.

"Eric, oh God, Eric you feel amazing." I said, and licked him while he pounded me hungrily. Grabbing my hands and raising them over my head against the shower wall, he thrust into me one last time and we climaxed together in a primal scream.

After a few moments of washing up, Eric said: "I believe that accepting Niall as your kin and using his personal dagger has given you more of the fae magic. You taste and look and smell of fairy. With my blood's strength, and perhaps a little training, you will be a formidable woman indeed." Eric said, with renewed lust. "We have to get out now, lover, and you will need to conceal the weapon again under whatever Pam brings for you to wear." Eric said, and turned off the taps. Almost as an afterthought, he ran a finger over my ear, as though expecting it to be pointed. "Still a human" Eric smiled and said "for now." He finished cryptically, and I couldn't help but look at my ears in the mirror.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy 2009! Sorry for the extreme delay in posting this chapter; it won't happen again. I've had hoards of family members staying at my house and no time to myself until today. I appreciate (very much) the many pm's I received asking me to post again.

Also, I would like to tell the fanfic writers whom I usually review, that as of tomorrow I will try to catch up on all your stories. Eric Dreamer, Mal, Nox and more than a few others: your reviews are coming right up. I can't wait to get back into everyone's stories!

Cheers, MiddayD

Chapter 19

"I've tasted your blood, when it was tainted by the maenad" Pam started to say while walking into Felipe's suite holding a pile of clothes "I've tasted your tears, and now I've had the misfortune of accidentally tasting your vomit. Honestly Sookie, when are you going to let me get a sample of the good stuff?" She finished, running a fingernail over my neck and grinning.

"Never" Eric replied for me with a small laugh "Sookie's blood is mine alone."

"It's _my_ blood and I'm not dinner." I pouted, and took the pile of clothes to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me a little harder than I intended. Clearly the vamp blood I just drank had immediately increased my strength. I wasn't bothered by that fact. It seemed likely that I needed all the strength I could get. Felipe would be rising any moment, and we'd also have to deal with the Nevada vampires tonight. If somehow Preston managed to placate them for the remainder of the night, then we'd have to deal with them tomorrow.

I suddenly realized I could still hear Pam and Eric talking in the other room. _Was my hearing improving as well?_

"Master" I heard Pam say "how are we going to explain the dagger to Preston?"

I turned on the taps to brush my teeth and also to drown out the noise. I wasn't going to listen in on other people's conversations just because I could. After a long teeth cleaning, I unfolded the top item in the pile of clothes Pam had brought for me. It was a tight white button down blouse. Pam often dressed like a suburban mom so the shirt fit her image perfectly. The next item, to my surprise, was a short, plaid pleated skirt. I simply couldn't imagine her wearing it and very briefly wondered if she was into role playing. The schoolgirl look was certainly a classic fantasy. Disgusted with myself for letting my mind wander to Pam's sexual tastes, I shook the image from my head and got dressed. Eric would hardly be able to contain himself after seeing me in such an outfit, and I had to admit that I relished the thought. Applying a little mousse to my damp hair and some lip gloss, I opened the door to the bathroom and emerged to see Pam waiting expectantly.

"I thought so." Pam said with a wicked grin, while looking me over.

"What?" I asked.

"You look" she started to say, before Eric interrupted.

"Like a particularly fond fantasy of mine." Eric said, and the glint in his eyes was unmistakable. He kissed me possessively, and then turned to look at Pam. "Why have you done this Pam?" He asked her, interested.

"To remind other vampires of why Sookie is so important to you, master." Pam said simply.

I was about to argue, but she cut me off.

"I know there are many…reasons. I just thought that a little extra emphasis on your _assets_ would prove helpful." She winked, and I actually had to laugh.

"You are using my lover's body as a distraction?" Eric seemed amused and irritated at the same time.

"I thought it would take the edge of Preston's annoyance at having to clean up the political mess she has caused." Pam said.

I felt like reminding her that _I_ was the one who was kidnapped, but there was no point. Pam was mirroring Eric's pragmatism and really, she didn't have the same social niceties as human women. She was learning a great deal though, I thought.

"Well I suppose I'll just take that as a compliment." I said, resigned. I then walked over to the table on top of which I had laid Niall's dagger. I picked it up, and noticed it was spotlessly clean. _That's strange._ I thought to myself. _I just stabbed a vampire with this, and no one in this room would have been able to touch it to clean it off._

Noticing my confusion, Eric walked over to me. I showed him the blade and he too, marveled at its shining silver.

"If I had to guess" he started to say "I'd imagine that this weapon's magical properties prevent it from being tarnished. You saw Victor disintegrate from a stab wound to the back. Maybe enemy flesh can't come in contact with it or else dissolve entirely. I've heard of similar weapons in legend, but I've never seen one. This is true fae craftsmanship, and worth much more than you could imagine." Eric said, obviously fascinated and more than a little disturbed.

I suddenly heard the sound of movement from across the room and realized Felipe must have woken up. Instantly, Pam turned around and darted to the couch preparing to attack if necessary. Eric stayed at my side as Felipe got into a sitting position and shook his head as though coming out of a daze.

"That was a very foolish thing you did, human." Felipe said with pure hatred lacing his every syllable. "You killed a powerful vampire unprovoked. You will be punished for this, most severely." He said, and grabbed Pam's arm before she could react and bit, drinking from her as though his life _ha-ha_ depended on it.

In one night I had seen two vampires drinking from one another, which was a very rare thing. Pam and Victor were now bonded, to a certain degree anyway, and it was a terrifying thought. If Felipe didn't kill her, would Eric? Pam could very quickly become a liability if her connection to De Castro proved to be a strong one. I quickly glanced at Eric, who looked both appalled and completely shocked. For once, it seemed like he didn't know what to do. Pam was now limped over Felipe; if he didn't stop she would die. The dagger once again pulsed in my hand. It seemed to radiate its own energy and drove me to act. The blood I had taken from Eric in the shower moments before gave me new speed, and strength, and perhaps a little more bloodlust than I'd like to admit. Without thinking twice, I ran to the couch and noticed that he had been using a hand to steady Pam's wrist to his mouth. I sliced it clean off. The scream which came from his mouth could have shattered glass. Pam fell to the floor with a dull thud, and Eric appeared at my side immediately. Felipe's arm had crumbled all the way to his elbow from having come in contact with the blade. Had I stabbed him anywhere more vital, he would have disintegrated like Victor. The pain had knocked him out again, and the smell coming from his flesh was wretched. I grabbed my stomach as a second wave of nausea hit me, trying to keep it at bay.

"Sookie, Pam is very nearly dead, but I understand if you can't do it." Eric said cryptically, picking her up and laying her gently on the bed.

"What are you talking about, Eric?" I asked, walking towards him in confusion.

"She needs blood or she will die. Preston will be here in minutes, I do not know who is coming with him. For the sake of politics, and appearances, it would be better if it came from you. I cannot give her my own, you must understand why. If Preston comes in and finds you trying to save her, it will ensure your protection. You have a silver weapon. You have killed a vampire and wounded a king. Preston likes you and he is my friend. But his hands would be tied; he would have to punish you and then I would have to kill him. This is the only way." Eric said sadly, and I felt his extreme misery permeate the bond.

Whether it was leftover adrenaline from my recent actions, or simply because I knew what Eric said was true, I don't know. As soon as Eric stopped talking, though, I took the dagger and pierced a tiny hole in my wrist and dripped it over Pam's mouth. She was unconscious, but her lips parted for my blood. Within seconds, her neck arched to accommodate my wrist and she was sucking from my arm passionately. I saw her eyes flutter, and she woke up. Her expression was one of astonishment, but she continued to drink from me, albeit more gently. I looked up at Eric and noticed that his fangs had run down completely. His arousal quickly became evident through his pants, but I could still feel his conflicting emotions. He was incredibly turned on, and also wild with anger and pain.

At that moment, the door burst open and Bill rushed in accompanied by Preston and two guards. Preston briefly took in the situation and commanded the guards to leave. Slamming the door behind them, he came over to me and pulled my arm from Pam's mouth. He then bit his lip a little and leaned over to kiss her. After a moment of intense kissing, they broke apart. Pam was haggard looking, though flushed. She would be fine. For what seemed like an eternity, no one spoke. Preston paced around and seemed on the verge of speaking and kept changing his mind. Finally, to my utter amazement, Bill broke the silence.

"Victor is dead and Felipe is gravely injured. We need to decide what to tell the Nevada vampires." He said flatly, and went to De Castro's fridge. Presumably our display had awakened some of his waning hunger; he reached for a True Blood and drank it without bothering to heat it up.

"Obviously" Preston said to Bill with some annoyance "and unless you have a suggestion as to what that might be, you should stop talking." At that moment, Preston's expression changed completely. He walked towards Felipe, stunned. It was like he noticed his wound for the first time and didn't know what to make of it.

"Someone will tell me exactly what happened here" he said, turning to face me "and I think it will be Sookie" he finished, expectantly.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. It occurred to me that I had no way of explaining it without sounding stupid. I could hardly say _the dagger made me do it_. Thankfully, Eric spoke for me.

"There is much to discuss, Your Majesty. Sookie is exhausted. She was abducted by Felipe and just now, as you saw, she has given her blood to Pam. Please allow her to rest. I will explain everything to you and I would rather do so privately. Perhaps Pam, Bill, Sookie and your guards could return to my room? You and I ought to be alone." Eric said humbly, and I could detect anxiety in his voice. He was feeding Preston's vanity by making it sound like only the two of them should discuss what happened. It was clever, and it worked.

"Of course" Preston said, and dismissed the rest of us regally. He gave Pam a small smile as she got up to walk away. "I will order us some blood, Viking, we are both…rather worked up. By the looks of Felipe, he will be unconscious for the remainder of the night. We will stay here for the time being regardless."

That was the last thing I heard before I closed the door. _Eric will be with you soon, so stop worrying._ I thought to myself, and walked away.

"I would comment on the irony of being fed your blood a mere hour after joking about it, but perhaps another time would be better?" Pam smiled at me with immense satisfaction. She was learning social niceties very quickly indeed.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews, and the interesting comments. You've all made me think; I hope this chapter doesn't confuse anyone too much. Some of you are concerned about the new blood bonds, and rightly so. There is much drama, battle and sexiness ahead because of them. This chapter will be a little out there, but it will be explained in due course. I hope you all stick with the fic.

Also, I've started getting back into some of your wonderful stories that I've been lax on reading/reviewing lately. There is a lot of talent and many well-written fanfics out there! I'm excited to be getting back in the loop. If I haven't commented on yours yet, I will in the coming days.

Anyway, here's a little timeline to refresh all our memories.

Friday Night: Sookie goes to Fangtasia and then Eric's house for the first time.

Saturday Night: Sookie covers a short shift at Merlotte's and then they fly to Honolulu.

Sunday Night: Sookie meets Preston, dinner at Eventide, De Castro and Victor show up.

Monday Night: Sookie spends the afternoon in the sun, gets the dagger. Eric blindfolds her, they have a great time, and then they go to the beach party with the translucent tent.

Tuesday Night: Room service guy kidnaps Sookie; she kills Victor and later stabs De Castro. _It is still Tuesday._

Wednesday Night: (tomorrow) is supposed to be the party.

Thursday night: they are scheduled to return to Bon Temps so that Sookie can work on Friday.

Chapter 20

When we got back to the room, the first thing I noticed was the dinner cart from when I had ordered earlier. I quickly realized how ravenously hungry I was, and suddenly didn't care about the fact that my club sandwich was ice cold or that Bill and Pam would have to watch me eat. _I think I've earned a good meal_ I thought to myself darkly. After devouring half of the sandwich and a few bites of coleslaw, I was satisfied enough to stop eating for a moment and think. The evening's events left a lot of questions in my mind: _how strongly_ _would Pam be connected to me? Would she be bonded to Felipe? What would Eric do about Bill? Why had I reacted so severely to Felipe trying to drain Pam?_ _What was the true story behind this dagger?_

I wasn't a violent person by nature, but possessing the dagger and taking so much of Eric's blood were changing me. Not just in the physical, although I was feeling stronger and healthier and my senses were much more acute, but also in terms of my character. I was far more sexually awakened; my personality was becoming less innocent and more than a little darker. I had heard stories about the fae and how they are both beautiful and terrible; I had also seen firsthand what vampires are capable of. Was I becoming some sort of bizarre hybrid? I knew that I would have to talk to Niall and Eric to get a better grip on what was happening to me. I would also have to talk to Bill and Pam. It seemed inevitable that a lot of private and uncomfortable conversations were impending and the thought of it made me feel utterly exhausted. I didn't know how long Eric would be with Preston but I thought I should talk to him first.

Trying to keep myself busy, I made a show of opening a bottle of wine on the cart and pouring myself a glass. I glanced up to see Bill staring out the window and Pam looking at her hands as though lost in thought. _How selfish am I? Pam was just forced to give her blood to Felipe, and then take mine and a drop of Preston's as well. She must be so conflicted right now, sensing a little of everyone's thoughts. Vampires are very private about their feelings; what happened in De Castro's room was actually incredibly perverse. _I decided to stop brooding on my own thoughts and break the silence.

"Bill, could you grant me a small favor and leave Pam and me alone for a moment? It won't take long; you could wait outside the door. I'd really appreciate it." I looked at him pleadingly, and he left the room instantly without saying a word. I'm not sure why I decided to go ahead and speak to her without first consulting Eric, but I considered her a friend and the conversation was one we definitely had to have. When he closed the door, Pam looked up from her hands and I noticed that her eyes were red. Pam never allowed herself to be vulnerable and it made me feel strange to be alone with her when she was upset.

"You saved my life…_again. _Sookie, the fact that my master allowed his bonded to give me her blood; it is a compliment I cannot explain to a human." Pam looked back down at her hands, and I decided to let the silence hang for a moment. I could sense that she wasn't finished talking, but was simply trying to find a way to phrase her words. After a few minutes, she continued: "it will take time for this to sink in. You and Eric have the strongest bond I have ever witnessed between a vampire and a human. Eric is my master, so naturally we share a connection. I have considered you a friend for some time now" again she paused for a moment "I am unsure how this will affect all of our relationships to one another. It is a disturbing thought. I cannot even fathom what could happen between Felipe and me, or what Preston will do when he finds out." Pam said sadly, and then stood up. She was walking towards to door. "I need a few moments alone. If you don't mind, I will wait outside and have Bill come back in unless you'd like some time alone as well?" Pam asked me quietly.

I realized that my mouth had gone dry. My jaw had been partially open during Pam's speech. I wasn't at all in the mood to talk to Bill after everything Pam had just said. I had way too much to think about.

"I could use some time alone as well. I would tell you and Bill to go back to your room, but you wouldn't do it anyway. I'll see you when Eric gets back?" I asked without looking at her.

Pam nodded and opened the door gently, exiting the room. I had never been so relieved to be alone.

* * * * *

The moment the door clicked shut behind her; I picked up my glass of wine and drained it. I wasn't a drinker by any stretch of the imagination, but anything that could numb my emotions was totally welcome. As much as I'd like to take a nap and forget the whole thing, my head was far too busy trying to make sense of everything that had happened.

Pouring another glass of wine, and this time vowing only to sip it, I went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The smell of rotting vampire clung to me. I had showered an hour earlier with Eric in De Castro's room, for this very same reason, and now the shower stall seemed oddly gargantuan without my Viking standing by my side. _I've been showering a lot more since Eric came into my life._ I thought to myself with a small smile. Picturing him wet and glistening with soap, his blond hair dripping and sticking sexily to his cheeks, made me feel a whole lot better. Suddenly I realized what a good distraction it would be to allow myself some time to fantasize. It wasn't something I did often, but my brain was clouded with a million thoughts and I needed to unwind. I had a built up a lot of pleasant memories in the past few days; so many that I hardly knew which to choose. I thought back to my first night in Eric's four poster bed, standing in my royal blue lingerie and feeling his arousal blend with my own through the bond. Then I thought about our flight to Honolulu, when I was grinding over his body while dancing and pouring champagne over his chest to lick up. I thought about our numerous showers together, him blindfolding me, and his gentle pleasuring me on the beach before I drifted off to sleep. It struck me once again just how incredible a lover Eric is, and how in tune I was becoming with my own desires as a result of my sexual education.

Lathering up my body with soap and letting the pounding water ease away all my tension and confusion, I focused as hard as I could on projecting my need to Eric. Thinking about Eric only made me realize how badly I needed him; how a fantasy wouldn't do. In my head I thought about putting my wet lips all over his body, about running my hands down his muscular chest and over his perfect back. I imagined pulling my fingers through his hair, gently biting his neck and then kissing down his body. I imagined stroking his bum and running my mouth up and down his length. I thought of him holding my arms together behind my back as he pushed me against the shower stall and entered me, hitting my nub repeatedly with his groin. I was growing overwhelmed with my sudden and somewhat surprising arousal, when I realized what was happening. Eric and I were both turned on and we were mirroring it through the bond. I remembered seeing his erection back in the room as Pam drank from me, and figured that Preston was probably feeling the same way as Eric. Preston had walked in and witnessed it; moments later he mentioned that they were both feeling 'worked up.' It struck me that if I was sensing all this, and now Pam was connected to me (as well as Preston and Eric) what on earth would she be feeling now?

My arousal quickly turned to disgust and I shut off the shower in a state of incredible frustration. The four of us needed to talk and I had a feeling it was going to be the weirdest conversation of my life.

* * * * *

After I dried off and put on some comfortable clothing, I looked at the clock. 11:30pm. An awful lot had happened in last six hours and I couldn't help but wonder what would happen in the next six. I imagined De Castro was still unconscious, and by looking through the peephole I saw that Bill and Pam were still waiting outside the door. I knew Eric was going to have something to say to Bill for leaving me alone earlier, and I also knew that Preston, Pam, Eric and I were going to have to figure out the dynamics of our newly formed bonds. Furthermore, there was still the issue of what Preston would be telling the Nevada vampires, how we would deal with Felipe when he woke up, and why the dagger seemed to have a mind of its own. I came to the painful realization that by being with Eric, the majority of our holidays together would probably unfold the same way as this one had. In other words: a total disaster.

_It hasn't been all bad_ I reminded myself absently, while sipping my wine. I did get to meet Preston, who I liked in spite of myself. I also became considerably closer to Eric, got to spend some time on the beach, and had perfect sex more than a few times.

_It is all Felipe's fault that this vacation turned sour; if he wasn't so power hungry and bent on being King, everything would have worked out._

At the same time, and even knowing he had planned to start a war and torture me, I couldn't bring myself to want him dead. It was a relief that a fraction of my character remained. After cutting his hand off without seemingly having a second thought, I had since been starting to feel horribly guilty. I knew he would have killed Pam if I hadn't intervened as Eric had been too stunned to move. I also knew that if I had stabbed him anywhere else at all he probably would have died…but it made me sick to think about what I had done. My guilt, I realized, was mingled with the relief of knowing that I was not and would never be, a killer.

This thought made me feel a little better about the whole situation, and so I allowed myself to relax a little. I was still looking for answers, but I had to wait until Eric got back. It occurred to me that one answer which didn't really have potential to bring me more grief was the story of the dagger. I decided to call Niall again and ask a few more questions. Now that I had used it, I was certain he would be eager to talk. I picked up the phone and dialed the number on his card. As usual, a fae operator answered and asked me to hold the line. I made a mental note to ask Niall, perhaps the next time I saw him, where he spent the majority of his time and why he didn't just answer his own phone. After a moment, he picked up.

"Hello child. I am pleased to be hearing from you again so soon." Niall's beautiful and rich sounding voice came through the receiver, and, to my surprise, I felt better.

"Hello Niall" I started to say sweetly "I am calling to ask you a few more questions about the dagger." I said, and wasn't sure if I should proceed by adding that I had already used it to stab two vampires.

"I assumed as much. I take it then, that you have had opportunity to use it already?" He asked, concerned.

"Yes, unfortunately I have. I stabbed a vampire who had planned to torture me. He instantly crumbled from the wound." I said, ashamed.

"I must say that I'm surprised. My blade has taken to you much more quickly than I had expected. It illustrates further that I was correct in entrusting it to you. You are much more of a fairy then I could have imagined; Sookie you have made me very proud." Niall said quietly.

"Well, thank you. I was wondering why it pulsates in my hand sometimes. It's like it acts on its own." I said, knowing how foolish I sounded.

"That is exactly right." Niall said to my amazement, and then continued: "this blade will know when you are in danger. It has magical properties which reinforce the severity of its cuts, it will never tarnish, it will, in short, begin to strengthen your abilities as a fairy. This is a weapon of nobility." He said, point blank.

I was suddenly terrified to own it.

"What kind of abilities?" I asked, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"It will make you even more appealing to vampires, much more, but not to the extent of a pure blooded fairy. It will increase your health, perhaps even the longevity of your life…to name a few. That is all I will tell you over the phone. When you return to Bon Temps, I would like to take you up on your offer of having dinner. There is much to discuss." He stated, and I knew it wasn't a suggestion.

"I would be happy to. I get home late Thursday night, and I work on Friday. Would you like to meet on Saturday night?" I asked him.

"I shall see you then. Be careful." Niall said, and hung up.

If I previously thought the conversation wouldn't bring me any grief, I was wrong.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: This chapter deals mainly with Sookie's thoughts; I had to get everything out before throwing us into any more action or drama. At the end, however, be prepared for totally gratuitous ESN. Also, the bonds will get resolved. Don't worry!

Thank you all so much for the reviews. Keep them coming!!

Chapter 21

After I hung up the phone, I sat down for a moment in a state of disbelief. Ever since the supernatural world became part of my everyday life, I had come to expect the unexpected and even welcome it. My conversation with Niall, however, had impacted me more than any of the other things that took place since Bill walked into Merlotte's.

I was transforming into someone from an entirely different species. If what Niall said was true, I would continue to adopt more and more fae qualities even so far as to live a longer life. How long, I didn't know. I wasn't sure if I was ready to know.

A part of me sometimes wondered what would happen to Eric after I died if he and I stayed together. I didn't reflect on it too much, since we were still a new couple, but we loved each other and it was bizarre to think that he would go on living many human lifetimes after I died. I knew I didn't want to become a vampire, so us parting ways was a sure thing. What if, as a result of my relationship to Niall, I live for another two hundred years, or three hundred?

It was too much to digest, particularly when I had so many other pressing issues to deal with here and now. I resolved not to discuss it with anyone, not even Eric, until after I had spoken to Niall on Saturday. _There's no point worrying about something uncertain_ I reminded myself, and shook it all off.

Eric would be back soon; I could feel him getting closer. I honestly couldn't wait to see him and he'd only been with Preston for two hours. It was after midnight, so there was still a long time to go before dawn. _We'll probably need every minute of it to sort everything out._

The door opened, and I was startled out of my train of thought. Eric walked in with Preston, Pam, and Bill in tow. Preston was the first to speak.

"Sookie my darling girl, you acted somewhat rashly tonight. Killing Victor and wounding Felipe, perhaps permanently, is going to cause chaos amongst De Castro's retinue. After hearing what Eric had to say, however, I am certain that I would have behaved similarly." He paused for a moment, to gage my reaction to his words. I smiled at him weakly, and he continued. "On a different note, I would like to thank you for giving Pam your blood. She is…important to me." Preston said. He then smiled wickedly at Pam, who noticeably blushed before speaking up herself.

"I have thanked Sookie as well, privately." She said, looking at Preston and at Eric.

Eric nodded, and Preston grinned.

"Your Majesty" I said, bowing slightly to Preston "thank you for being so gracious. As Eric probably explained, I acted out of self defense. With regards to Pam, I consider her a friend. She would have done the same." I said. Pam and Eric beamed at my response.

"Yes, yes I'm sure she would have" Preston said affectionately. "Now, on to other matters" he said, while pacing around the room. "We still have to decide what to tell the Nevada vampires, and what we are going to do with Felipe. It has come to my understanding that he is now bonded with you to some small degree" Preston said to Pam, his face inscrutable. She immediately hung her head in shame. Preston walked over to her and lifted up her chin to face him. "Darling, I know you would never have intentionally entered into another bond." Preston said, and suddenly I knew why Preston was willing to puncture his lip before kissing Pam.

_They are already properly bonded! That's why she was worried about what Preston would do when he found out about Felipe!_

It made sense, in a way. They both really enjoyed each other's company; they always seemed to be sharing some kind of joke. Also, knowing that Pam is more attracted to women, I continuously found it surprising how much she cared about Preston. I knew he was particularly gifted in seduction, but their connection seemed to be about more than just sex. _Although I'll bet there's lots of that too and other women are probably involved _I thought to myself with a chuckle. At that moment, Pam turned to look at me.

"You didn't know I was bonded to anyone, did you?" Pam said proudly, as though keeping huge secrets from your friends was a great accomplishment. I shook my head, and she continued. "When Eric called me to work in Fangtasia, I was here in Honolulu with Preston. I had been here for many years, before this hotel was built. Preston and I are…so similar. I accepted Eric's request because I enjoy working with him, and at the time, we were both ready for some time apart. Immortality creates a very different idea of what a relationship means." Pam finished, and I was totally speechless.

"Well put, Pam." Preston said proudly. He then turned to look at Eric. "I do not like the idea of Pam being bonded to two kings. It is unseemly. It also puts the Hawaii vamps and the Louisiana vamps at unnecessary risk. We do not yet know what kind of control De Castro will have over her." He concluded thoughtfully.

I had to laugh at Preston; he put the part about it being unseemly first.

"I agree. Since we now know that Felipe was planning a hostile takeover of Hawaii and simply using Sookie and me as a scapegoat, I think we should kill him. He is without his second-in-command, he is weak and his territories are undefended. We could do to him exactly what he did to Sophie-Anne." Eric paused and then looked at me. He knew I would not approve of executing someone who was gravely injured and totally defenseless.

"What if we were to come up with a more _colorful_ version of the way things happened tonight, and present our case tomorrow at the party?" I asked everyone eagerly. "We could appoint random vampires from both retinues to hear the testimony and have them decide Felipe's fate. After all, it is his word against all of ours. If we told the story with enough conviction, people would be on our side. I've heard vamps discussing what he did to Sophie-Anne, and no one has forgiven him for it." I said, and hoped I didn't sound too naïve.

For a moment no one said anything, but simply exchanged thoughtful glances. After what felt like an eternity, Bill piped up, surprising me for the second time in one night.

"I think Sookie makes a good point. If we kill Felipe, we will have to face the tribunal under charges of treason. It isn't unheard of for vampires to appoint a jury in certain circumstances. It's just not that common. My only concern is what we will be trying to convict him of." Bill said matter-of-factly. It made me happy to see him taking an interest in vampire politics; the thought of him 'losing his hunger' as he put it earlier had been very depressing. _If we all make it out of here in one piece, I will have to talk to Bill again about what he's going through. I'm sure there's a way to get him back to normal_ I thought, and then focused on the current conversation. _One thing at a time _I reminded myself. I smiled at him for agreeing with me, but his face remained blank.

To this, Pam seemed to have an answer. "He will be trialed for attempting to drain another vampire without cause, and for kidnapping an esteemed guest of the king." Pam grinned, and everyone seemed content with her answer.

"There's something to that" Preston said animatedly "I was beginning to rethink the party, but it might be just the right thing to do! Felipe is back in the guarded room for the night and his retinue is being entertained at Eventide. They won't get a chance to speak with him before the trial."

By now, Preston was walking around the room excitedly and talking while clearly making plans in his head. I could feel Eric relax a little through the bond, and I could tell that Pam was glad Preston wasn't mad at her. The atmosphere in the room had improved slightly, and for that I was grateful. Once it seemed as though tomorrow night's agenda was all sorted out and rehearsed, Preston sent Bill to speak with his assistant and his event planner to inform them of the updated schedule.

It seemed as though, for now, there was only one more topic to discuss and it was making me incredibly nervous. There were four of us left in the room: the four people who were directly involved. I strained to focus on Eric's thoughts, his feelings, to try and figure out what he was thinking about the peculiar four way bond we now shared. He must have sensed what I was doing, though, because he looked at me and shook his head. _Oh well. In for a dime, in for a dollar_ I thought to myself, and collected my thoughts before getting everything out in the open. I wondered if there was any way I could be diplomatic about it. There wasn't.

"So, what are we going to do about our group-bond thing?" I squeaked out awkwardly.

At this, Preston actually laughed out loud and I found myself laughing along with him.

"You really have a way with words Miss Stackhouse" Preston said "but do not worry. Eric and I have already discussed this at length and come up with several agreeable solutions. As we have not yet seen the effects of Pam having taken your blood, our final decision is still to be determined. You haven't taken hers, so you aren't fully bonded. We were more concerned about Pam and Felipe. As we are hoping to have that particular issue resolved by tomorrow night, I see no need to think on this any further until we know more." Preston finished.

Pam nodded with evident relief, at which Preston laughed again. He seemed perfectly undisturbed by the fact that the four of us could be having mind sex or something for the rest of my life. _ However long it was going to be._ _Then again _I thought _he'd have no reason to be disturbed by such a thing._

Suddenly his laughter made sense. I looked at Eric, who seemed to realize what I was thinking. He started to speak, I imagine, to prevent me from voicing my disgust at this new concept.

"I think now would be a good time for Sookie and I to be alone" Eric said to Pam and Preston "unless you have any objections?"

Pam shook her head, and got up to walk towards the door without a backward glance.

"I think Pam and I could use make use of some private time as well." Preston said mischievously, and giggled all the way out the door.

*****

"Lover, are you alright?" Eric asked in a concerned voice, while gently rubbing my neck from behind.

Preston had left ten minutes ago and I couldn't find it in me to speak. I sat down in a chair by the window and sipped my wine. Too much had happened tonight to make sense of anything at all. I was glad that Eric had given me at least this much time to think in silence. I was also thankful that Preston had been nice enough not to place any kind of seduction over the room during our conversation. He could easily have done so; his being a gentleman spoke volumes to his character. The fact that he and Pam were genuinely bonded, well, I'd have to figure that one out another time. It's not like _I_ was bonded to Preston, and neither was Eric. It might not be such a big deal after all.

Also, I realized I was glad we were going to deal with Felipe in a more conventional manner. By conventional, of course, I meant that he wouldn't be meeting the end of Eric's, or my, blade. There was some comfort in that, and I said so.

"I'll be okay, thanks for asking. I was just reflecting on everything that happened this evening. I'm a little confused about a few things. If it's okay with you, though, I'd rather wait until tomorrow to talk. I'm sick of talking, and of thinking, for now." I said, exhausted.

"Anything for you, dear one" Eric whispered into my neck, as he knelt down on the floor and wrapped his arms around me from behind. I could just barely feel his lips on my skin; it was tantalizing and sweet at once. He licked me lightly, and then let his fangs graze my neck.

"Sookie, I need you. I have been thinking about you non-stop for the past three hours. It took every ounce of my will to maintain my composure and not ravage you in front of everyone in the room. Something about you wielding that fae weapon, and then seeing you feed Pam your blood…" he stopped a moment, and shivered a little as though remembering it exactly "it tore me up inside and yet drove me crazy with lust. The things I have been thinking since then" he said with a wild look in his eyes, and instead of finishing his thought he lifted me out of the chair and brought me to the bed.

"You are becoming more and more of a fairy every minute. I can taste it." Eric said, and then pulled my clothes off and licked me from head to toe. "You taste amazing; you feel better than any woman I have even made love to." He said, and his voice was dripping with desire. "I need to come inside of you, lover. I need to." He said, and I started to tremble with anticipation. His words were turning me on almost as much as the feel of his tongue on my skin. He was licking me as though he were starving with need. I pulled his shirt over his head and then put a leg between his to kick his jeans off. I wanted to see my Viking's perfect body on top of me; I wanted every inch of my skin to be touching his.

When we were both totally naked, I looked him over from head to toe. He was perfect, and no matter how many times I saw him, it didn't strike me as being any less incredible. I decided to reach out for his thoughts again, I'm not sure why but there was something behind his eyes that exhilarated me.

_She drives me crazy with passion, and yet totally humbles me. I love her._

"I love you too Eric" I said, and then grabbed his waist and pulled him into me. He moaned loudly as he rocked back and forth into my wetness while running his hands through my hair, over my shoulders, down my breasts and nipples, and stopping at my clit. Staring into my eyes and watching me buck against his hand; he rubbed circles over it while thrusting. At that moment, I lost control and started screaming his name. _Oh God Eric Oh yes._ He fit me perfectly; his hardness filled me up and pumped me with expert rhythm.

"Sookie, I'm going to make you release now" he said in a strained and husky voice. With his thumb, he applied a little more pressure to my nub as he circled it, and then thrust into me as deeply as he could go. Just as I started to scream from the pressure, he leaned over and bit me, drinking deep. We climaxed in total sync with one another. Eric fell over and lay by my side, kissing me sweetly.

I didn't want to admit it, but at that moment a tiny part of me wondered what Pam was thinking. I was glad I couldn't pick up on her thoughts or feelings.

We were instantly ready for more.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: This chapter will be the only one from another POV. I needed to write from Pam's perspective because she is going through so much. Forgive me! It's really short, but I'll post again tomorrow.

Also, there's a little shout out to another fic at the end of this chapter.

As always, thank you for the great reviews and keep them coming.

Chapter 22

"Sookie must have finally fallen asleep" I said to Preston from across his suite. He simply grinned at me in response, and motioned impatiently to his muscular and hairless brown body which at this moment was stark naked and perfect. I looked at him for a moment, and shook my head.

"In our younger days, Pam my darling, something like this would have aroused you immensely." He said with a trace of sadness in his voice.

"In our younger days, you were not yet King and my maker was thousands of miles away." I replied flatly.

"If you would like to be distracted from your troubled thoughts, I could always seduce you." He offered hopefully.

I had to marvel at Preston's absolute inability to evolve. He would always be a playful, beautiful man who enjoyed being over the top and always having fun. It was why I fell in love with him. However, I still can't believe they made him a King.

"You haven't seduced me individually since before the bonding." I said, less excited than I ought to have been considering his incredible talents.

"There has been no need. You are always more than willing to play. What is so different tonight?" He asked me, while flamboyantly batting his eyelashes.

"I do not like knowing that my blood is in Felipe's body. It irritates me. I am also somewhat overwhelmed with being a bystander in Eric and Sookie's lovemaking." I admitted.

"I must say, those two certainly know how to fuck." Preston said with a laugh. He normally spoke so regally; hearing profanity from Preston was as amusing as watching Sookie ignore Eric.

"So you can feel it too?" I asked him, interested.

"I usually feel everything sexually noteworthy within the hotel. It is particularly acute in this instance, as I am also able to channel those energies from my bonded and from a close personal friend, the Viking. As you know, I can turn off other people's seductions; this is just such a rare case that I'm reveling in it for the sake of study!" Preston said with sincere fascination. His love of alternative sex was my inspiration for trying everything at least once. However, his complete lack of boundaries continued to amaze me even after all these years.

"This is something I'd rather not study with you." I sulked, and walked towards the window.

"What's really bothering you Pam?" Preston asked me gently.

"I've tasted the blood of my master's bonded, Preston. Sookie has saved my life twice, directly. Indirectly, who knows how many times her abilities and bravery has helped Eric and me? She is the only human I have ever considered worthy of my time and friendship. She is part fae; I haven't discussed this with my master yet but I've been noticing her fairy qualities strengthen every day. I believe she is capable of far more than we yet know. I-" I started to say, and then stopped. I had spoken a lot more than I should have already.

"Continue, my dear." Preston urged me to go on, and I knew I could confide in him. It had been so long since I'd really talked to anyone besides Eric and I certainly couldn't discuss this next part with him. After a few minutes of pacing, I continued.

"Her blood tastes unlike anything I have ever had the immense pleasure of tasting. I have been Eric's faithful child for a long time, and I would never do anything to jeopardize that. He is an excellent maker and a brilliant sheriff. I enjoy working with him and I respect him." I said with absolute sincerity.

I paused, and Preston waited without saying anything.

"I also find myself having unusual feelings for Sookie." I said guiltily.

Preston's studied me for a moment, saying nothing.

"I would never touch her though, because she is my friend." I added hastily.

"If I didn't know you better, darling, I'd be feeling jealous right now. However, I believe that this is simply a temporary side effect of taking her blood. You have always cared for her; you are just a little infatuated from the feeding. Also, as you said, she is part fae. Combine all these things with your connection to Eric, who undoubtedly mirrors your sentiments exactly, and you have the recipe for seduction. Trust me; this is something I would know. It will pass." Preston said soothingly, and I smiled at him in appreciation.

"Thank you, your majesty" I said with a laugh, and realized I was already feeling better. "Before I come to bed" I started to say, making sure the words _come _and _bed _was as mischievous sounding as possible,_ "_there's one more thing I want to ask you about." I looked at Preston inquiringly.

"Proceed." He said with an edge in his voice. I could tell his patience with the conversation was wearing thin. Preston's needs in the bedroom were far greater than that of an average vampire; he had to be satisfied as often as possible or certain other… attributes began to surface.

"You mentioned earlier, to Sookie, that you and Eric had already come up with several solutions to my having taken her blood. Just out of curiosity, what were they?" I asked him.

"Ah yes. I was wondering when you were going to get to that. Well, Pam, it depends. Eric seemed to be under the impression that while we are all here, together, the connection will act differently." He said with some excitement, and waited for my expression before continuing. Obviously this topic was one he was totally interested in.

I looked at him quizzically, and he continued.

"But I don't want to _spoil all the fun_. Now, come to bed. I won't take no for an answer." Preston said with a laugh.

The amusing thing about that statement was that he really wouldn't.

I was content that things were a little more sorted out and so I started to undress and walk towards Preston. He was lying spread-eagle on his custom made bed, which was identical in size to the one in the back room at Eventide: two king mattresses pushed together. It had a thick, white, down feather duvet with white sheets and more than half a dozen white down feather pillows. Even for a vampire as hedonistic as Preston, I always thought it was overly luxuriant. As I got down to my pink lace corset and matching thong Preston licked his lips anxiously with a huge grin.

"Shall I call the models, or would you prefer something more normative for this evening?" Preston asked me, a glint in his eye.

"Ladies choice" I said to him evilly, indicating that he was the lady in the room. With that, he leapt off the bed and pounced on me, pinning me to the floor.

"Don't start something you couldn't possibly win, young woman" Preston said, his fangs extended and his eyes changing color. I could feel the air thicken in the room as his poured his strength and passion into producing a seduction the likes of which I hadn't felt in many years. I began to grow hazy and wet all over, as though my entire body existed for the purpose of having sex at this particular moment. I let go of all control and stared at him hungrily. I wanted to be kissed by him, bitten by him, entered. I wanted everything and more. My fangs extended completely, and I ran them along Preston's nipples skillfully.

At that moment, Eric walked in.

"Master, what is the meaning of this?" I asked him dazedly through my building arousal. I looked at Preston, who merely shrugged and then giggled a little.

"You have a tendency to interrupt me at inopportune times. You've been doing it for so many years that I've begun to think it is intentional." Eric said with a smirk. "This is, as they say, payback." He finished, grinning, and then sat down on the bed a few feet away.

"Shouldn't you be with your bonded, master, as I am?" I asked him, knowing full well that she was asleep.

"Sookie has been sleeping for an hour already. However, I have no intention to stay" Eric said to me, and then looked at Preston "don't go easy on my child Pam, your majesty, just because she has been brooding all evening." He said, and then turned to leave with a growling laugh.

It had totally slipped my mind that Eric was already more aware of _my_ feelings than I had just become of Sookie's.

I wondered what else he might know.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: So it's been nine whole months since my last update. Somehow an apology doesn't really seem to cut it, so instead I'll just thank everyone who has continued to review and pm me asking for more. I have a lot left to write with this fic, so if people are still interested I will keep going.

Cheers,

MiddayD

Chapter 23

I woke up with a heavy feeling of dread. Tonight was the night that Preston had scheduled a huge party between the vamps from Nevada and Hawaii, attempting to publicly secure a friendship between the two kingdoms. That was, of course, before I killed Victor with a silver dagger and cut off De Castro's arm an hour later. The fact that Felipe never intended to secure any kind of friendship, publicly or otherwise, was not the point. What we were all facing now was going to be an event similar to that of Rhodes: a trial in front of a jury elected by members of both retinues, followed by blood in champagne glasses and dancing.

Of course, if I was found guilty of attacking two incredibly powerful vampires unprovoked, the dancing seemed unlikely.

_Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll find Felipe guilty...of kidnapping me __**and**__ of being an asshole._

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I rolled on to my side and looked at Eric. It was only 3:00pm so he was still in his daytime rest, and yet even while sleeping he seemed as anxious as me. Rightfully so, I suppose. From a political standpoint, I was Eric's bonded and so punishment chosen by the jury would likely have to be inflicted on me by him. Furthermore, Eric was still expecting to be _made an example of_, as Felipe had put it the night he showed up with Victor at Eventide, for having come to Hawaii without permission in the first place.

For now, it seemed, we were no longer on De Castro's good side.

After laughing at that last thought, I decided it was time to get out of bed and make some coffee. Eric wouldn't be up for another two hours or more, but I had some major thinking to do before then. Not only about the impending trial but also about the bizarre series of bonds formed between Pam, Preston, Eric and I. I had tried to wrap my head around it last night, but there was just too much going on to concentrate. One thing is certain, though, Pam will now know my feelings.

_Nope, still not ready to deal with it._

* * * * *

After brewing a pot of coffee and taking a long shower, it was time to look in a mirror and scope out the damage to my face. When we had gotten back to our rooms the night before, Eric wanted to heal me but I refused on the grounds that the bruise was proof of being assaulted.

"My _word_ is proof enough, lover; they do not need to see it on your skin." Eric had said with a pained look on his face.

"You can heal me after that trial, but until then it stays." I replied.

"You are so much trouble" Eric had said, before gently running his fingers over my back until I fell asleep.

Seeing my reflection under the bright lights of the hotel bathroom today, though, I wish I had let him heal me. The entire left side of my face was purple, and there was a huge bump that extended from my lower cheek to my forehead. Somehow, my first real attempt at a holiday had turned into yet another occasion where I got beaten up.

All I wanted to do was lie on the beach with Eric under the stars, go for a swim, kiss him, touch him, hold him…and instead we were planning ways to lie to a jury, use Preston's gift to 'persuade' them to believe us, and read their minds to determine whether it worked. _If it doesn't, well, Eric and Pam are always up for a good fight._

Deciding that applying some foundation was both futile and completely ridiculous; I gave up and switched to styling my hair so that it could fall over my face if I wanted it to. It wouldn't be able to completely hide the bruise, of course, but that was the point. Eric woke up just as I was finished getting ready.

"Dear one, why am I in this bed alone?" He called out to me sulkily.

Rather than answer him, I walked out of the bathroom to show him my attempts at looking presentable. Visibly wincing at the bruise on my face, Eric pulled me gently to the bed.

"You still look stunning, lover" he said, while kissing my neck and smelling my hair "though are you quite sure you do not wish to be healed?" He asked quietly.

I shook my head, and he gave me a small smile.

"I will just have to make you forget about it then" he said huskily, and pulled my skirt off in one swift motion. As he kissed and licked his way up my legs and between my thighs, I did.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: This characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: Thanks for not giving me a hard time about the hiatus between chapters. I know the last one was much too short, but it was my way of getting back into the storyline.

Chapter 24

The next two hours passed much too quickly, I had ordered some room service (chicken parmesan for me, house blend blood for Eric) and then we immediately started getting dressed for the evening. As I couldn't drink from him until after the trial, Eric also refrained from drinking from me so that I wouldn't be too weak in case things went badly.

"Lover, that dress is delectable on you" he drawled, taking in the burgundy lace strapless I had brought for a formal night like tonight. "I look forward to pulling it off you, slowly, when this is all over." As he spoke, he walked up from behind me and put an arm around my waist, and another around my neck. Being careful to avoid touching my face, he tilted my head to the side and licked my neck from collarbone to earlobe. With his other hand, he traced circles over the fabric, pulling his fingers over my stomach and towards my breasts.

"We will drink from each other tonight, dear one, while we are both coming, and coming, and coming. I will make everyone else on the floor of this hotel wish they were you." Eric concluded, a dark and incredibly sexy expression on his face.

"Viking, anyone human woman who has seen us together is already jealous. Of course, most vamps tend to think of _you_ as the lucky one." I replied mischievously, trying to shrug off my feelings of unease and pump myself with confidence.

"When you say things like that, Sookie, all I want to do fuck you and rub my scent all over you so everyone will back the hell off what's mine." He said, nipping my neck without piercing the skin. "That is, those who are foolish enough be tempted." Eric said, a low growl emanating from his rippled chest. "But we must go now, lover. Being late for this evening's events would be more than unwise." With that, he took my hands and led me to the door. Pam and Bill were already waiting for us outside.

"Sookie, your face looks just awful. Couldn't my master find it within himself to drip some of his blood onto those luscious lips?" Pam asked with a decadent little laugh.

"Pamela, it is not the time." Eric said sternly.

"Yes master" she replied, and immediately bowed her head. Though I'm sure I caught a look of amusement on her face. Bill, of course, was looking at me with concern but saying nothing.

"Compton, is the banquet room equipped for both parts of the evening?" Eric asked, with an expression that indicated it better be.

"Yes Eric, of course" Bill replied, not without a hint of bitterness.

"And what of De Castro? Surely he is awake?" Eric looked from Pam to Bill for an answer.

"Preston just informed me that they had him moved to a _quiet_ room," Pam said, with a look of total disgust "apparently he is in such pain, and is so wild with anger for what happened last night, that he is quite...worked up. One of his sheriffs, Brady I think, has been granted an audience with him and will represent his interests at the trial. Preston managed to persuade him to keep quiet until everyone was assembled, but he is livid." Pam finished, exhaling unnecessarily for effect.

"Brady is a famously unreasonable sheriff. This does not bode well for us." Eric said, thoughtfully.

I still hadn't gotten past Pam's comment about Felipe being in a quiet room, and I said so.

"Um, I don't mean to sound ignorant here, but what on earth is a quiet room?" I asked everyone.

"It's a way of imprisoning difficult vampires which dates back about fifty years. It is a square cell made of thick iron, with a small hole in the ceiling for spraying vaporized silver into the air. That way, if De Castro opens his mouth to scream, his throat would be exposed to the silver. You can imagine the agony _that_ would cause, and therefore after an hour or two the prisoner can no longer bear to speak." Bill stated, matter-of-factly.

"Why would Preston have a room like this in his hotel?" I asked, aghast.

They all looked at me like I was a naïve child, and then Pam spoke up.

"Preston is a king, Sookie, and as you have seen on countless occasions, kings are often threatened. As he prefers his clients not to be disturbed while visiting his hotel, any overly difficult vampires are dealt with by placing them in the quiet room. It has been very useful to him in the past, while waiting for word from the magistrate on what should be done with the vampire in question." At this, Eric interrupted.

"However, it is still considered a punishable offence to imprison a king. If Felipe is not found guilty tonight, we will all be either killed or forced to pay him a fine of millions. I do not like either of these options. Has Preston fed tonight?" He asked Pam.

"On many women, in more ways than one. He is fully sated." Pam replied with an inscrutable expression.

I, however, was a little confused about the change of topic.

"Again, not to be ignorant here but what does Preston's feeding have to do with this?" I asked.

Eric looked at me kindly, and replied. "After I have explained to the jury the details of last night's events; Preston is prepared to use his considerable talents to make everyone uninterested in whether or not my explanations are true…if it seems we are about to lose the trial. As you can imagine, it will require incredible concentration and strength on Preston's part to divert the attentions of so many. For a seduction of this magnitude, much blood is required." Eric said, and then added mentally "_you will have to try and scan the minds of any vampires present to gauge their opinions. As discreetly as possible, you will pass this information on to me. If Preston is forced to act, everyone in the room will be affected. You and I included._

At that, I had to do my best to stifle a gasp. If things began to take a turn for the worse, and if Preston were really that powerful, we would all be lost in a haze of lust. Coupled with the new bonds, the sexual aspect of this night could be just as dangerous as the political. Particularly now that the fae in my blood was strengthening alarmingly fast.

Everyone was now looking at me expectantly, as though waiting for a response to Eric's explanation.

"Once all the vampires are sated, though, wouldn't we have to start right over? I mean, how will any of this actually get resolved?" I asked nervously.

"A good question. The only options are to convince the jury, one way or another, to find Felipe guilty and have him executed immediately, or to start a war this very night, or for me to simply kill Felipe now and face the tribunal later. For crimes of that magnitude, however, I would be either killed as well or made king." Eric said with a strange look.

"It seems like you vamps are pretty black and white with the law. I mean really, final death or a promotion?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

None of the vamps laughed at this, and so we proceeded to the banquet room for the trial.

* * * * *

When we arrived, I was amazed once again by the magnificence of Preston's hotel. The banquet room was large enough to accommodate about five hundred comfortably, and that was certainly necessary judging by the number of vamps who had assembled from both retinues. The room had the same semi-dark lighting as the rest of the hotel, and in one corner of the room was a large fountain surrounded by a small indoor garden. I breathed a sigh of relief that the fountain was filled with water and not blood. Idly I wondered who had the job of being a vampire gardener, and then decided I must be crazy with nerves.

Looking over at Eric who was now discussing something intently with Preston, I thought about how nice it would have been to come here with him simply to relax. That had been the initial intention, and yet now we were all once again fearing for our lives. _Or our deaths, ha-ha. _As Pam and Bill walked towards them to join in the conversation, I began scanning the vampire minds to see if I could pick up on anything.

The first thoughts I got were from Eric: "_Sookie, nod if you can hear me_" he projected clearly and calmly. I nodded, and he relaxed perceptibly. "_Good. Now try to listen to Pam or Bill, they should be a little easier than the others_." He thought at me, while maintaining a conversation with them. I relaxed the blocks in my mind completely, took a few deep breaths, and listened.

First Bill's distinct voice sounded in my head. "_Sookie's scent is becoming unfamiliar to me. Are my senses losing their strength? Surely I would be able to smell her intoxicating blood from miles away. It's what I think about, imagine, every night. All I'm getting now is…no it can't be. Obviously I'm losing my mind._"

So that was part of the reason Bill was so worried. Apart from his feeling depressed, he was concerned that his senses must be off since I smelled more and more like a fairy all the time. Was he really so ignorant of the fae that he couldn't anticipate this change? Well, I guess even Niall didn't realize the extent of my capabilities until I received the dagger, and neither did I, but still. It's almost as though Bill has this image of me, of our past relationship that is unchangeable. _Unchangeable and entirely wrong._ He didn't feel so strongly about us when we were together, it is only when he couldn't have me that he fell in love. I suppose that even men born in the 1800's, _some men_ I corrected myself while looking at Eric, simply could not recognize a good thing until it was too late.

With that thought, I shrugged off my grief over my past with Bill and focused on hearing Pam.

"_If tonight turns to battle, I will protect Sookie. She is my priority."_ Pam thought, and I was immediately touched by her concern for my welfare. Pam deciding to guard a human above other vampires was an amazing compliment. I decided, for the sake of my vanity, to let myself listen in for just a moment longer. "_Feeling her arousal with my master last night was very strange...she tasted better than anyone I've ever put my lips on. My master's affection for her is well placed."_ At this, I had to stop eavesdropping and promised myself never to do so again.

At this, I decided I was ready to glance at Eric, and see if he was planning to project further instructions. I already knew what I had to do, but I thought he should know I picked up on Bill and Pam quite easily. After a second of looking at his back, he sensed my gaze and turned around. I winked, and then sent feelings of triumph through the bond. Instead of projecting back to me, Eric simply nodded as though I should continue. We still had forty-five minutes until the trial, so I got started.

I wonder if that human slut really stabbed Victor…

_Just look at her face; imagine showing up at a formal event looking like that…_

_Northman is a fool for taking a human as his bonded…_

_Oh how I would take her pretty little body and bend it over my dining room table…_

_I would just love to punish that stupid bitch…_

_Felipe had it coming…_

_It makes me sick to think of a vampire as old as Eric actually caring for a pathetic human…_

_Victor was an arrogant asshole anyway, good riddance…_

_I hope Preston notices me tonight…_

_I hear Brady wants the telepath…he figures he can use her if he takes over Nevada…_

_I'd let the gorgeous Viking have his way with me anytime…_

_Northman should be king anyway; we'd all be better off…_

_She must taste amazing to keep his attentions for so long…_

_I hope there's a battle tonight…_

_It serves her right, not being healed by Northman. She's had too much of his blood already if you ask me…_

_I would fuck that blond princess every night for the rest of her meaningless human life…_

_I wonder if Northman plans to turn her. Now __**that **__would be interesting…_

It went on and on. There were hundreds of hungry, horny, and violent, vamps and they were mainly thinking about me. They didn't seem to care so much about Felipe, or about the trial. All they were interested in was my relationship with Eric. I decided to put up the blocks in my mind and send feelings of annoyance to Eric through the bond.

With this, he actually turned to me and grinned. It seems, much to my surprise, that my ability to read vampire minds pleased him a great deal. He then licked his lips, brought a finger to his mouth and sucked the tip of it for a second before turning back to the others with a devious smile.

_I guess he's not so worried about tonight after all._ I thought to myself with some relief. If he thinks everything is under control, it probably is. _That, or he's simply trying to reassure me._ Glancing briefly at my watch, I realized it was only a few minutes until the trial. At that moment, I heard the doors to the banquet room open up behind me, and the noise level dropped immediately to total silence.

Standing in the doorway was a vampire I could only assume was Brady, and he seemed to be supporting someone who appeared to be very weak. That someone was missing half of his arm.

De Castro.

Instantly I knew that seeing Felipe like this would force his subjects to act; we had counted on him being unable to attend the trial. Whatever his sheriff Brady had had to say would have been disputed. We would have used our combined efforts to convict Felipe; believing that most of the vampires present were still angry about his takeover of Louisiana and prepared to believe whatever we had to say. _Too late for that_ I thought to myself.

Almost at once the crowd erupted into deafening noise. Eric, Pam and Bill were flanking my sides before I could blink. Preston's retinue was running towards him from all over the room.

So it would be war, then.

But suddenly everything stopped. The Nevada vamps, who were on their way to Felipe, seemed to pause in mid-stride as though overcome with an urge to stay put. Preston's retinue was already at his side. Vampires loyal to Eric had surrounded us protectively a few moments before.

It felt like the proverbial calm before the storm.

I decided to let my shields back down and scan the brainwaves for any sign as to what the general mood was. Strangely, I didn't pick up voices or thoughts or images, only urges.

Looking over at Preston, I saw him on his knees with his head tilted back halfway, his eyes closed, and a positively devilish smile on his face. He was a true master, and his children were hungry for whatever he could provide them. Almost as if on cue, hundreds of fangs popped down at the exact same moment. _Well that's just creepy._ A low moan escaped the lips of five hundred aroused vampires. It was a chorus of lust and wanting straight out a FOTS nightmare. Suddenly I became painfully aware that I was the only human in the room. The only one with a beating heart, the only one who was part _fairy._

Fairy…what had Niall said about my fae abilities developing? Oh right, nothing. He didn't want to talk about it over the phone. Thanks for nothing.

Quickly glancing at Eric, Pam and Bill to gauge their self-restraint, I realized they were all eyeing me hungrily. Not in a threatening way perhaps, like I imagined the other vamps would be once they remembered I was here, but with a kind of _guilty_ hunger. _The same way I would look at a donut. _Struggling to overcome my building panic and come up with some kind of plan, I stomped the heel of my shoe into Eric's foot to rouse him while pushing terror through the bond. That did it.

"Dear one, we have to get out of here immediately." He said, while grabbing my arm forcefully. Then, he slapped Pam clean across the face, followed quickly by Bill. They were both hazy with lust but managed to reign themselves in. By the looks on their faces, however, I imagined we didn't have much time. Once we had managed to leave the banquet room, Eric stopped and looked at Pam.

"Child," Eric said "go to Preston's room immediately. He will not be able to hold onto his strength much longer. You will not participate in the battle tonight; instead you will _take care_ of him when he returns. Bill and I will get Sookie to safety and then get Preston out of here before he passes out. After that, we return here to fight." He said, and they both nodded. With that, Eric looked at me as if to speak. I interrupted him before he got the chance.

"Would you really kill all these vamps for trying to protect their king?" I asked.

"Felipe is a tyrant who killed my queen when she was weak and undefended. He killed many vampires from Louisiana unprovoked, he kidnapped _you_." Eric said softly, and then he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me in for a passionate kiss. I was reminded of the night in Sophie-Ann's palace; the perfect kiss before battle.

Eric's words, his kiss, and his devotion to a dead queen were enough to rouse my own newly bourgeoning bloodlust. With determination I didn't know I had, I looked him straight in the eye.

"If you fight, I fight." I said firmly, and pulled out Niall's dagger from the fabric holding it to my inner thigh.

If anyone could pull off dead shock in a ball gown, it was Pam. At this, she looked at Eric challengingly and said: "if she stays, so do I." Quickly, she leaned in and gave me a light kiss before running back inside. Eric's face was stony and Bill's was delighted.

"I think I'll go join Pamela" Bill said, and rushed off. Apparently his lust returning had caused his bloodlust to return as well. _At least that's one less thing for me to deal with_ I thought, and then turned back to Eric. I could feel his extreme anger and it was more than a little frightening. I had to make him calm down as soon as possible. I knew from experience that when a vampire's lust turned to anger, things could get ugly quick. Without thinking of the fact that we were in a completely public place, I reached for his lingering erection caused moments ago by Preston's seduction, and stroked the outside of his pants while running my tongue over the exposed skin on his neck. The top button of his dress shirt was undone, and so I decided to undo it a little further so that I could have access to more of him. Eric started moaning, seemingly unable to process the fact that there was an impending war, or the fact that a few moments ago both Pam and I had overtly disobeyed him. It was evident through his pants that he was fully erect, and he started to put his hands on as much of me as possible. Right then, I remembered the trial at Rhodes, and had a plan. _What's the quickest way to get Eric off? Drink his blood._

Taking a quick breath to prepare myself, I bit him, hard, under his nipple in the exact same place as at Rhodes. His thick dark blood started oozing from the wound, and I latched on as though starving to taste him. His hands went automatically to my back and neck, supporting me as I drank. After only a few pulls of his blood, he unzipped his pants at vampire speed and put my mouth over him just as he was about to come. Seconds later he had pulled me back up, looked me in eye for approval, and with a nod from me he bit my neck, drinking deep. I don't know if it was the combination of blood sharing, adrenaline, Eric's arousal or the arousal of hundreds of nearby vampires, but as he drank I began to climax. He hadn't so much as touched me. _Well that's new_ I thought.

Once we had recollected ourselves enough to rejoin the others in the banquet room, I looked at Eric.

"I spoke rashly before; if you don't want me to fight, I suppose I don't have to." I said sincerely, and smiled a little.

"Dear one" Eric started to say, and then paused as though trying to find the right words "one of the many reasons why I love you is your courage. Another reason, oddly enough, is your inability to listen. I would have you safe in our bedroom with ten guards if only you'd wish it. But as it is…" He finished, with a sad smile. I took that to mean I could join the others in the fight. I nodded in response, and we walked back towards a room full of vampires high on sexual desire and drunk on bloodlust.

They don't call me crazy Sookie for nothing.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: the characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. And you can take that to the bank.

A/N: All I can say is "Help I'm Alive" by Metric.

Chapter 25

I was not at all prepared for the gruesome scene in front of me as Eric and I reentered the banquet room. Obviously Preston's assistant had been warned in advance that blood donors and sexual playthings might be required, and to be prepared with many willing humans in case that need should arise, because vampires were feeding, fucking, and in some cases fighting in a completely chaotic manner throughout the hall. It was kind of like walking into a vampire Woodstock. From Hell.

I wasn't sure where the humans came from, or if they had already been interspersed with the vamps earlier and I simply hadn't noticed. If that were true, and my telepathy was in fact so strong that I was picking up both types of brainwaves on the same frequency, well, I would have to talk to Niall about that when I got back_._ I couldn't believe my growing fairy abilities could enhance my existing _disability,_ as I had always called it, to such a degree so quickly. Then again, it could just be that the humans came in from some kind of back door. I was so astonished by the scene in front of my eyes, however, that trying to figure it out right this minute wasn't really a priority.

Skimming the room for faces I recognized, I quickly identified Pam, Preston and Bill. It seemed like Pam was trying to help Preston up; from this distance it appeared as though he was unconscious. Bill was standing in front of them, guarding them, while apparently trying to scan the crowds for the best possible way to get him out of the room unnoticed. _I guess Pam decided to listen to Eric after all._ _Either that or she changed her mind when she saw Preston._

I quickly looked over at Eric, and saw a look of relief pass over his face. Obviously Preston was important to him. I made a mental note to ask him why. No more than a second later, however, Eric's entire demeanor changed. He seemed at once exhilarated and anxious. He turned to me, his eyes betraying his excitement about the impending battle.

"Sookie, you will be stronger as a result of my blood, and you are a definite threat with that weapon. However, you do not know how to fight. Now that you see what we're dealing with, are you sure you're going to stay?" He asked, his entire body vibrating with the need to join those who were fighting. _At least it's not vibrating with the need to join those who are fucking. _I thought.

Even though terror was beginning to grip at my insides, adrenaline and determination forced me to nod. Eric's expression became one of fierce determination.

"Then you will stay by my side. We will be a formidable team, dear one, and _no one_ will forget this night." He said, and darted towards the middle of the room with me following not far behind. As we ran, I realized that I couldn't see Felipe or Brady anywhere. _He must have only shown up because he knew it would start a war. _It made sense, he would be far too weak to do any damage, and by staying he would have become an easy target_. I guess he figures his retinue is either completely expendable, or totally unbeatable. _I thought to myself.

I wasn't sure how I felt about either of those two concepts, and I wondered how Felipe had gotten out of his cell and where he was now.

Regardless, it was abundantly clear to me that De Castro feared the jury would have convicted him, and so decided not to let it get to trial. The lingering resentment towards his takeover of Louisiana would be his downfall and he knew it. Sophie-Ann, it seemed, must have been a popular regent. Furthermore, trying to drain Pam who I now knew was bonded to Preston, would also be a grave offense. Lesson one: don't kill another vampire regent. Lesson two: don't drain yet another regent's bonded. I didn't really think my kidnapping stacked up to those two. At that thought, I wondered if after this was all over I'd actually face charges for killing Victor, as that seemed to be a separate matter. _One thing at a time, Sookie._

Suddenly Eric came to full stop near a group of about twenty vampires who were fighting a group of about thirty-five. As I didn't recognize any of them, I looked at Eric a little sheepishly to indicate I didn't know which side we were on. He actually laughed aloud, and pointed at the smaller group. _Murphy's law_ I thought to myself.

I did have one small advantage, though: I was armed. I didn't worry too much about Eric, being over a thousand years old and a Viking made him a dangerous enemy; he was well known for his physical strength. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I saw him grab a discarded short sword from the floor. Evidently the owner was already dead. While many of the Nevada vamps must have been anticipating a fight and armed themselves, and many of Preston's retinue was armed in the event of a fight as well, Eric had seemingly led us to a somewhat less prepared cluster of vampires. For some reason, I found it sweet.

Finally getting my bearings and positioning myself beside Eric, I crouched into a battle- ready stance and let the currents of fae energy roll over me from the dagger, giving in to its need for blood. Just as Eric started to become a blur of speed and skill (vampires were falling at his feet, dead or seriously wounded, in an almost impossible number) I started to pulsate with newfound energy. My fingertips buzzed with a strange electrical current, my body felt lighter, more agile and quicker. Deep in my chest, I could feel my heart pounding and my blood pumping as though all the life and feelings inside of me were desperate to overwhelm the death in my presence. I was no longer fighting nameless, faceless vampires. I was fighting for every single moment in my life wherein the supernatural world had taken some kind of toll on me for reasons I did not yet understand. In a single moment, I was transformed. Looking over at Eric to see him fighting four vampires single-handedly with an almost painful grace, I leapt towards them and brought down my blade with no remorse.

* * * * *

That night, with Eric and vampires loyal to him at his side, we fought through the crowds with frightening ease. I found myself physically stronger than some of the vampires I encountered, which I never would have imagined possible. I took down one, two, three vampires in no more than a few seconds and I was almost capable of keeping up with Eric's speed. My lack of training was evident, but whatever fae essence was contained within me seemed to make up for that. Eric's skill, of course, was unmatched by anyone else in the room, and when the Nevada vamps started to become aware that they would find no victory, many pledged fealty to him and fought by our side.

Felipe's losses were devastating; Eric and Preston's gains were numerous. Not that Preston had been present to witness any of it; he and Pam had left hours earlier. I was certain he would be none too pleased with the devastation left behind from the fight. The banquet hall was no longer the beautiful, ethereal place it once was. Instead, blood and gore and ash were spattered all about the walls and ceiling. The fountain has been struck on one side with some kind of force and was spilling water over corpses on the floor. Rather than cleaning away the rotten flesh, the ground had become a shallow pool of blood. It was both horrifying and totally surreal. Looking at a vampire who had seemingly been killed while feeding on a young human woman, I could no longer resist the nausea I had been feeling and began vomiting uncontrollably. The cruelty of the vampire world hit me now, after the battle, imagining all the humans who had died unnecessarily tonight. This was not their fight.

Sensing my distress through the bond, I felt Eric's fear and looked up to see him running towards me from the other side of the room.

"Dear one, let me get you far away from here. It will do you no good to reflect too long on the carnage of battle." He said gently, and picked me up in his arms. Although I was still nauseous and was undoubtedly covered in blood and vomit, Eric held me to him with reverence and flew us out of the room and down the corridor.

"Am I right in imagining you would like some fresh air? Or would you rather return to our room?" Eric asked me quietly, setting me down.

"Outside" I choked out, while straining to breathe and regain my equilibrium.

"Of course" he said with a little smile, and before I knew it, I was in his arms again.

Finally, it seemed, Eric and I were lying on the beach alone. I had been dreaming about this since we arrived: moonlight, sand, warm air with a light ocean breeze. I had pictured Eric and I holding each other, making love, swimming, kissing, and being _happy._

As it was, I couldn't get the smell of death out of my nose, the taste of ash from my mouth, the look of horror on so many faces out of my mind.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: the characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: As always folks, I'd love to hear what you have to say. It's really the best way for me to find areas to improve in the fic. In other words, review review review. And did I mention review?

Chapter 26

_I need to get this dress off _I thought to myself while standing in the surf and letting a small wave roll over my feet. Eric was sitting on the sand a few feet behind me, watching closely but giving me space. The night's events had started to sink in, and, as I came down from the adrenaline that had driven me to fight by Eric's side, an overwhelming flood of grief took its place. Undoubtedly feeling my sadness through the bond, Eric started sending me love and reassurance. It didn't matter though. These feelings weren't my own; they weren't _real_. Thinking back to a few hours before when I was desperate to fight, when my body was humming with energy and the dagger had come to life in my hand, I realized that I was no longer the same Sookie Stackhouse I was when gran was alive. Whether I was human, fairy, or some unknown kind of supe I hadn't yet discovered, I wasn't sure. What I did know, was that right now I needed to wash the violence off my skin. I needed to feel something other than disgust. I needed Eric.

As soon as the thought came to my mind, I felt a touch as light as the night air, brush over my shoulders. Gently but with clear desire, I felt Eric pull the fabric of my lace dress down over my shoulders, my stomach, and legs. Standing in my bra and panties with my feet in the surf, Eric pressed his already naked body to mine from behind and kissed my hair. The smell of salt water, and wildflowers, and Eric, began to replace the smell of battle and for that I was grateful.

"Lover, let us do what we came here for. Let us enjoy the warm air and the sand under our feet. I want to be with you, I want to be inside of you. Let me." He said, while unhooking my bra and trailing kisses down my back. "Let me" he said again, and ran his fingers over my bare skin. Turning my head to the side and kissing his cool lips in response, I instantly felt his building arousal at my back. Bending over slightly to pull down my panties, Eric ran his hands over my bottom and then held on to my hips. Placing the tip of his gracious plenty at my opening, Eric growled in appreciation at my obvious readiness and then pulled us both down into the shallow surf.

As the first wave washed all the night's events from my mind, I gave myself over to him completely.

* * * * *

An hour or so later, Eric and I were feeling a little more prepared to go back inside and deal with the aftermath of the battle. We would have to speak with Preston, Pam and Bill, and we would also have to try and find Felipe. It seemed like a lot to do in the few hours before dawn, particularly since we had planned to leave the next day so I could work on Friday.

"Is Pam safe? Do you know where she is?" I asked Eric, while trying to pull myself together.

"Oh yes, I feel no threat to my child or even any abnormality in her mood. Both she and Preston are fine." Eric said confidently, and then added, "maybe Compton wasn't so lucky" almost under his breath.

I realized it was going to take time for Eric to forgive Bill his many indiscretions during the trip. I also realized it was futile to try and be presentable when wearing a dress that had a large rip in it and was covered in blood, vomit, and sand.

"I can't go see anyone looking like this, Eric. Do we have time to stop by our room before checking in with the others?" I asked him while pulling at a loose thread on the hem of my dress.

"If you are capable of changing very quickly, yes. I should have gone to speak with Preston immediately after battle but I could tell you needed some air." Eric said with a touch of regret in his voice.

"I'm sorry, dear one, that this has not been much of a vacation for you." He continued, and then wrapped his arms around me in a protective manner. "We must go now; there are only a few hours left until dawn." He finished, although I could tell he had more to say.

I imagine he, like me, was regretting the fact that our time together was always complicated by politics and war. He probably figured I was rethinking my decision to be with him. _Am I? No. Not yet, anyway._

With that thought, he lifted me up and we flew back to the hotel.

* * * * *

A few moments later we were back in the hotel room, and I was pulling things out of one of my suitcases with abandon while Eric spoke on his cell phone. Evidently Pam had brought Preston back to her room since she didn't have access to his suite while he was unconscious. From Pam, Eric learned that Preston still hadn't woken and she didn't expect him to until the next night. Bill, she said, had gone to the quiet room where Felipe had been held to investigate how he escaped. After listening silently for a few moments, Eric began explaining the battle and then went through a list of vampires who had pledged fealty to Preston or himself rather than die as part of Felipe's retinue. He then went on to briefly describe the damage to the hall and the losses suffered by our side. With a small click, I heard him close his phone and sit down on the edge of the bed.

I got all this is from hearing half the conversation; the look on his face indicated there were still some things I didn't know.

"I have some news and I don't think you're going to like it." Eric said quietly as I rummaged around for a pain of jeans. "You needn't bother to get dressed." He said, and then I stopped what I was doing to sit by his side.

"There is little we can do tonight it seems. I need to speak with Preston before proceeding with any plans as to the new vampires who have pledged fealty. Unfortunately, Pam suspects he will not wake until tomorrow night. We have no lead on where Felipe or Brady might be, though Bill is looking into it with a few other vampires from my area." He said, and then looked at me for a reaction.

Perhaps it was the aftereffects of shock, or exhaustion, but I wasn't getting the point.

"I'm not sure why I'm supposed to be upset about this." I said questioningly.

"Dear one, we were scheduled to leave tomorrow night. You told the shifter you would work on Friday." He said the last part bitterly; as though it was Sam's fault we were supposed to be leaving tomorrow night. "It will take me at least another night, though probably more like two or three, to conduct negotiations with Preston. I will also need to contact the other regents, sheriffs and high-ups to see where loyalties lie and what expectations are. Otherwise, we will both be in danger." Eric said, and suddenly the implications of this night, of the whole trip, began to dawn on me.

His earlier comment of "I would either be killed, or made King" was starting to sound more like a promise and less like a joke. Looking into his eyes, I could see the exhaustion of 1000 years of similar politics settle them. I understood now that I wasn't the only one who was tired of all this.

"Eric, I understand. Let me call Sam and explain the situation. I rarely request time off, so I'm sure he'll be okay with it." I said, although I couldn't really afford missing the extra shifts and was more than a little irritated that I would be extending a holiday but not getting a chance to relax.

"Let me" he said with a grin "I really thought you were going to put up more of a fight about this. Thank you for appreciating the difficult situation I am in." Eric said, and then kissed my forehead gently and began dialing Sam's number.

"I will talk to him, thank you very much." I said while snatching the phone from his hand "I'm the one who works there, not you." I finished, an edge to my voice.

"Of course, lover, of course." Eric replied, though I could tell that his earlier apprehension was fading away and being replaced with anticipation. _Was he really so concerned about my reaction to staying a few more nights? _I thought as the phone started to ring. _Maybe there's more to this extended stay than he's letting on._

After the phone rang a few times, Sam's voicemail kicked in. _That's odd_ I thought. _He always answers his cell when I call_, _even if it is 4am._

Eric looked at me expectantly as Sam's outgoing message started coming through the phone.

"The shifter thinks it unnecessary to answer calls from you at this late hour?" Eric said with his eyebrow raised in disapproval.

"No, it's strange actually. He always picks up." I said, concerned.

"It's a full moon tomorrow night, perhaps he is otherwise occupied." Eric said with a smirk.

"Maybe…" I said, not entirely believing him but feeling a little more at ease "I'll get up early and call him again. That way he'll have time to find someone else to fill in." I said, and then let myself fall back on the bed, exhausted.

"I need a shower, Eric. I'm also completely starving. Do you think it's too late to order room service?" I asked hopefully.

"I know that it wouldn't be too late for a vampire, under normal circumstances" he said thoughtfully and then added, "with the events of this evening it might be difficult to find someone who is performing their regular duties on the job. Depending on the severity of his losses in human staff…" he said, and then cut himself off.

"Go get in the shower, lover, and I will find a way to get you fed." He said, and then gently helped me up from the bed.

I didn't need to be told twice, and I quickly pulled off my disgusting dress and threw it in the garbage along with my bra and panties. Usually I would be sad to lose yet another new dress and new lingerie, but I really didn't need to keep any reminders of tonight's bloodshed. Turning on the taps in the luxury shower, I stepped inside and let the water run as hot as I could bear.

A few minutes later, Eric walked in. He was naked, but held a plate of strawberries he had halved and a small bowl of cream. Where he got them, I didn't ask. With almost vampire speed, I shut off the taps and got out of the shower. Eric picked me up and placed me on the vanity, wrapping my legs around him as he dipped a strawberry in the cream.

"I found this in the mini-bar" Eric said, "I know it's not much of a meal-

I cut him off by bringing his fingers to my mouth, and licking some cream from the strawberry.

"It's perfect, Eric, thank you" I said, genuinely grateful that he had found something for me to eat and more than a little excited about the prospect of being finger fed by a naked Viking.

Sensing my happiness and quickly developing lust, Eric held another strawberry to my mouth which gently nipping at my neck. Understanding his hunger, I tilted my head to the side for him.

"What you offer me is much _much _better than what I'm feeding you, lover," Eric said huskily into my hair. "But I promise to fill you up" he said, and then pushed his full length into me while piercing my neck with his fangs.

As I bit into the ripe, red, strawberry and a trickle of blood ran down my neck – I knew that I would be fed a gracious plenty.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: See the previous 26 chapters.

A/N: Sorry for any typos in the last chapter, I don't have a beta.

Review-crack makes Mondays bearable!

Chapter 27

I woke up a few short hours later with a terrible feeling of anxiety in my stomach. _Something's wrong_ I thought, and knew with certainty it was true. Looking at the clock and seeing it was only 9am, I realized that it must have been fear that woke me up.

_I've only had four hours sleep… I can't be rested yet. _

Rolling over on my side to see Eric in his daytime rest with no signs of anything unusual, I let out a small sigh of relief.

_If Eric went to rest without leaving me a note, or without waking me up to warn me of anything, than things must be fine for the time being. He would certainly know if something's going on, right? _I asked myself.

Having gone to sleep immediately after my late night snack with Eric, I had given him another hour or two to make any arrangements he could before dawn.

"Sleep, dear one," he had said "and I will lie here with you."

"Eric, what are you going to do tomorrow night? Are you going to go after Felipe, or stay with Preston? Are we safe? Will we be able to go home in a few days? What does all this mean?" I asked him sleepily, while pulling a blanket in closer to my body.

"I don't know yet" he said while stroking my hair soothingly "but I will think on these questions before I rest. I will not leave you." He said, and I drifted off in his arms.

Closing my eyes and trying to soothe the anxiety I was feeling, I absently ran my hand over Eric's smooth chest. _We are together everything's okay_. I said to myself, and then repeated it a few times out loud. As soon as my breathing slowed and I started to feel better, a single thought popped into my head.

_Sam._

Jumping out of bed, I began rummaging around for my cell phone. _Maybe he didn't answer last night because Eric's number came up. He'll answer for me. _I thought nervously, and then dialled his number. After a few rings, his machine picked up again. _Okay, that's really weird. Maybe he's at the bar early this morning, getting everything ready for Terry so he can leave for the day. Didn't Eric say it was going to be a full moon tonight? _

Pacing around the hotel room, I dialled the number to the bar. One ring, then two, then three, and then finally I heard Sam's voice: "Thanks for callin' Merlotte's Bar & Grill. Our hours of operation are…"

I hung up, knowing the rest of the message by heart and having no need to hear it. Sam wasn't answering his cell, or the phone at the bar. That left only one option, to call Amelia and have her drive over the Sam's trailer and knock on the door. Maybe I was being a little silly, maybe he was just really busy or something, but it didn't matter. I had to know where he was and if everything was okay.

I called the house, and after two rings Amelia picked up.

"Sookie, is that you?" Her usual chipper morning voice was clipped somehow, strained.

"Yes, Amelia, is everything okay?" I asked.

"Actually Sookie, I was going to call you in another hour or so. I'm a little worried; Sam hasn't been to Merlotte's for the last two days. I spoke to Terry about it, but he said that sometimes Sam takes off for a little while here and there and that I shouldn't be too concerned about it. I didn't think much of it at first, but we were really busy at the bar last night and I called Sam to ask if we could bring in an extra server. He didn't answer his cell. It's not like him to leave the bar unattended without letting you know first, is it?" Amelia had delivered this entire monologue in a few seconds at most. She was clearly a lot more stressed than she was letting on.

"You've been working at Merlotte's this week?" I asked her, surprised.

"A few hours after you left, Sam called and asked me to fill in. I guess Arlene was so ticked that you took vacation without giving everyone notice first, that she told him he better give her some time off too or she'd quit." Amelia said with distaste in her voice. "It's just been me, Holly, Tanya and Terry all week. We're pretty beat." She said, and I believed it.

_There have_ _only been four people on staff for almost an entire week?_ It hardly seemed possible. I decided to leave a message on Pam's cell and ask her to call Fangtasia and send someone to Merlotte's from the bar as soon as she rose. Eric would understand, I was sure. Even if they had more important things to deal with, I was _not_ leaving all my friends this short-handed any longer. Especially since I wouldn't be coming back tonight and working tomorrow as planned.

"Arlene did _what?_" I asked, outraged.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad. I think the only reason Sam hasn't fired her is because he feels bad for her kids." Amelia said, frustrated. "Anyway, do you think I should be worried about Sam?" She asked again.

"Honestly Amelia I'm pretty worried myself. This is not like Sam. He never leaves the bar for this long without planning well in advance. He always has extra staff on call as well, in case we get busy." I said thoughtfully. "You should go knock on his door. See if you can find anything out. Do you know any spells that might be able to help find him, or give us some more information?" I asked her hopefully.

"I'm not sure, Sook. I'll go over to his place right now, and call you back. I could always try and round up some more witches for an ectoplasmic reconstruction, but it'll be really hard to come up with enough people out here in Bon Temps on such short notice. Also, we wouldn't be able to do it until after the bar closed tonight. If someone saw us…" she said nervously, and then stopped.

"I understand. Call me back as soon as you can." I said.

"I will. Oh and Sookie, how is your vacation going?" She asked, a playful lilt in her voice. "Is the Viking doing his job and pillaging you senseless? Because you really need it." She said, and laughed.

"It's been action packed." I said seriously, and then we both said our goodbyes and hung up.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, and that I couldn't simply wait for her to call me back, I decided I would call a few more people for information. First on my list was Alcide.

"Sookie? What's going on? Is something wrong?" Alcide's sleepy and surprised voice came through the phone after the first ring.

"Actually yes. Have you seen Sam lately, or heard anything about him?" I asked immediately.

"No I haven't" he said, concerned "but why call _me_ about it? Sam and I are on fine terms and all, but we're not exactly buddies. _I_ wouldn't know where he is or where to look even." He said sounding slightly irritated.

"I was just thinking, maybe you or someone in the pack knew what was going on. He's missing." I said quickly, a slight tone of exasperation in my voice.

"Missing, for how long? You know he's probably just on a trip through the woods? Sometimes we need to spend more than one night…" he said and trailed off.

"It's possible, but it wouldn't be like him to leave the bar like this. Especially with me out of town." I said.

"Yeah, I heard about you running off to Hawaii with _Eric_." Alcide said with clear judgment in his voice.

"Oh stop it Alcide," I snapped, "if I am really a friend of the pack, you will try to find out what's going on. I have a lot to deal with here already and I could use some help. Will you look into it for me? If not, I'll find someone who will." I said angrily, and waited for his response.

After a long pause, he spoke up.

"Of course I'll help Sookie. But it's a full moon tonight. I can't guarantee all my pack mates will be willing." He said, and I could _feel_ his weariness.

"I'll even call Calvin over in Hot Shot and see if he's heard anything. I'll call you back as soon as I find anything out." He said, and then hung up.

My next call was to Jason. After two rings, I heard the phone being shuffled around and heard him grunt as he apparently knocked into something.

"Hello?" He practically growled into the phone.

"Jason, it's me. Have you seen-

"Listen Sook, this really isn't a good time." He interrupted.

"Have you seen Sam?" I asked, figuring I ought to ignore him and get to the point.

"Why would I know where Sam is if you don't?" He said, and then I heard a woman's voice mumbling in the background.

"Look, I really have to go." He said, and then hung up.

_Typical Jason. Only concerned about his self. Well at least if Calvin gets involved Jason will have to help them look. _

My next call would be to Niall. I didn't know what kind of assistance he could be, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Fishing the number out of my purse, I dialled it and waited for the mysterious operator/secretary to answer.

"Sookie Stackhouse for Niall Brigeant" I said almost professionally, knowing I would be asked anyway.

"Hold the line please" came the same, deadpan female voice as always. After a few minutes, someone picked up.

"Child" Niall said gently "it brings me _endless_ happiness to hear you are well," he said grandly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.

_Fairies and their dramatics _I thought to myself.

"Actually, grandfather, I am calling because I can't reach Sam." I said, and then added "my boss. No one knows where he is." I said.

"Ah yes, the shifter. He seems a good fellow. What can I do to help, my dear?" He asked me, anticipation evident in his voice.

"I was wondering if you knew how to find people easily. I thought maybe fairies could sort of, just, _pop_ to where Sam is." I said, realizing I sounded silly.

"I could, as you say, _pop_ there if I knew where he was. Would you like me to ask Claude or Claudine to look into it? I am leaving for faerie in a few moments and I'm afraid I will not be able to return for a few days. There have been some _developments_." He said cryptically, and I assumed those developments had to do with last night's vampire war. Supes were usually instantly in the know about these things, I was surprised Alcide hadn't mentioned anything when I called.

Unless Felipe had been trying to keep his plans a secret until he had taken over Louisiana.

"If you wouldn't mind asking them to just check around a bit, it would be a big help." I said gratefully.

"Of course my dear, of course. I know Claudine has been particularly concerned about your happiness this past week. She has felt your distress. It really pains her not to be able to come to your aid, because of all the vampires in your presence. She will be pleased to have a way to help." He said sweetly, and then added, "I am truly glad to hear you are safe. I must go now, but I will be seeing you in Bon Temps when you get back from your trip. Are we still having dinner? There is much we need to discuss pertaining to your new attributes. Among other things." He said knowingly.

"I look forward to it. Thanks for your help." I said sincerely, and then clicked the phone shut.

I would call Pam later; it wasn't like she would be checking her messages any time soon.

I am starving I thought suddenly I wonder if room service is available today. Surely they would have backup staff, or contingency plans, for situations like this one? I thought to myself hopefully.

Picking up the hotel phone, I called the front desk. Someone answered immediately.

"Is room service available today?" I asked.

"For you, Miss Stackhouse, I believe it is. I will place the order myself, and guarantee you get it shortly. What would you like this morning?" A sweet, young sounding male voice asked.

"Bacon, eggs over easy, toast, hash browns, orange juice, fruit and coffee. And sausage." I said, feeling a little guilty for being so demanding. "Is that too much trouble? If it is, I can just have a muffin or something." I added sheepishly, and then continued, "It's just that I haven't eaten much lately." I said, and then waited.

"The kitchen is closed for the day, but I will order your food from a nearby restaurant and have it delivered. I was told to grant you whatever you desired during your stay." He said automatically.

Wow I thought to myself. Preston must really care about Eric to set something like that up for me. Vampires didn't normally consider human needs.

"Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help." I said.

"You're quite welcome, Miss Stackhouse. Expect your breakfast within the hour." He said, and then quickly said goodbye.

Looking over the clock, I realized it was now 10:30. I had been making calls for over an hour. Deciding I needn't bother going back to bed at this point, and knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep if I tried, I figured it was time to get a shower. Just as I turned on the taps, my cell phone rang.

"Sookie, it's Amelia" I heard the second I answered the phone.

"What is it? What did you find out?" I asked fearfully.

"Nothing at first. There was no answer when I knocked on the door, and no sign that he was home." She paused, took a deep breath, and the continued. "But Sookie, I decided to do a simple spell when I got there. The idea of the spell is to detect malicious intentions. It's normally used when you're trying to determine if you can trust someone with something important. Finances, a big secret…in this case I thought it would give me an idea whether Sam was, for lack of a better word, kidnapped. The spell would show me if someone went to Sam's place intending to do harm. In some cases, I would be able to find out who was involved. The magic is more complicated in that circumstance, but I think it worked." She said quietly.

"Oh no, oh no no no" I said suddenly, because Amelia had been broadcasting so loudly that I heard her thoughts through the phone.

Quinn has Sam.

"My God Amelia, what are we going to do?" I asked, knowing that I couldn't be of much help from Hawaii.

"I don't know. Are you coming back tonight? Is everything okay with you at least?" She asked hopefully.

"Actually, no. I can't really get into it now, but there was kind of a war here last night. We need to stay a little longer to take care of some vamp politics. I have no choice." I said regretfully.

"A WAR? Sookie, are you hurt? Are you okay? What the Hell happened? Do you need me? Should I fly to Hawaii too? What are you going to do?" She asked in one breath.

"I'll tell you about it when I get home. You stay there and keep in touch. I've called Alcide, Jason, and Niall. Alcide is going to get in touch with Calvin, Claude and Claudine and going to help out as well. Find out what you can but be careful." I said, and she agreed that she would.

"I'll be home as soon as I can. Reinforce the shields on the house; get Terry to walk you to your car tonight after work. I'll ask Pam to send someone over tonight from Fangtasia to help bartend. Tell Trey everything you told me, and ask him to stay with you tonight. We have a lot to take care of here, but I'll ask Eric if we can speed things up and come back tomorrow on a morning flight." I said, trying to cover everything.

"Wow Sookie. You just sounded so pragmatic, like Eric." She said, surprised.

"I'm worried about you. Promise me you'll do what I said?" I asked.

"I will, if you promise to make it back to me in one piece. I mean really Sookie, another war? Aren't you under the vamps' protection now? Wouldn't it be completely idiotic for someone to try and hurt you?" She asked.

"Apparently not" I said, and then there was a knock at the door. My room service had arrived and I wasn't even dressed yet. "I have to go Amelia, call me later okay?" I said, while pulling on jeans and a t-shirt.

As I hung up the phone, it occurred to me that even though my breakfast was here I had completely lost my appetite.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Y'all have been reading this for a year and a half, 27 chapters, several *very* long hiatuses, and some unresolved plot twists from ten chapters ago. Kudos to you all, and thanks for sticking with the story when I wasn't even sure I would.

Chapter 28

Deciding that I had better eat regardless of whether or not I was hungry, I called out for my room service to be left at the door. I knew Gran would probably roll over in her grave at my manners, especially considering the trouble the concierge had gone to, but I wasn't about to get kidnapped again over the breakfast cart. I also wasn't going to expose Eric to any kind of threat during his daytime rest.

_I guess after your fifteenth or twentieth near death experience, etiquette doesn't seem quite so important_ I thought to myself.

After I was sure the waiter had retreated a safe distance down the hall, I slowly opened the door and quietly pulled the cart into the room. I almost felt ridiculous for being so cautious, but then remembered the horrifying scene in the ballroom last night. One minute we were waiting for a trial, the next minute I was covered in blood. One minute I was wearing a new dress, the next minute my dress was ripped to shreds and thrown in the garbage. Really, it was just another night on vacation for Sookie Stackhouse.

_Stop it, Sookie, Sam has been abducted and taken to God's knows where by Quinn. No doubt on De Castro's orders. Think- there has to be something you can do._

Wheeling my breakfast over to the table near the window, I resigned myself to formulating a plan on a full stomach. I already had Alcide, Calvin, Claude, Claudine, and Amelia on alert back in Bon Temps. Now that I knew who had taken Sam, I'd be able to call Alcide back and get some Weres to try and track Quinn's scent. It might not be much, but it was a start. Letting out a small breath I hadn't realized I was holding, I dialled Alcide's number again. He picked up on the first ring and this time his voice wasn't as friendly.

"Listen Sookie, I already told you I'd look into where Sam's run off to" he emphasized the word _run_ as though the entire situation were due it being the full moon. "It's real early, and I had a late night last night. " He finished.

"Alcide, Sam's been taken by Quinn, presumably on De Castro's orders. There's been a vamp war here in Hawaii. I can't leave today and maybe not even tomorrow. I need to know that I can count on my friends to do me the same favours I've repeatedly done for them." I said in a tone so sharp it could have cut glass.

"Wait, there's been a war?" Alcide asked, immediately sounding more alert.

"I can't get into it over the phone. I'll try to be back as soon as I can, but please send some of the pack over to Sam's trailer and see what you can find out. Call me the second you hear anything" I said. Not bothering to wait for a reply, I hung up. More and more I was beginning to understand the vamps' lack of courtesy on the phone. Sometimes you just needed to get your point across and end the conversation.

After pacing a few times around the hotel room, I decided it was finally time to eat. As soon as I sat down at the table and lifted the lid off my plate I was ravenous. Whether or not it was because I had the beginning of a plan in mind, or whether it was because I couldn't be sure when my next meal would be, my appetite was back in full force and the food smelled delicious. Everything I had asked for had been delivered: bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, coffee, fruit...and I would eat every crumb without an ounce of guilt. My size-eight-on-a-good-day had decreased to a size six far too quickly to be healthy, and I just didn't feel like myself. I also knew I would need all the energy I could get after only four hours of sleep.

It was going to be a long day, too. I could feel it already.

By the time I finished eating, I had heard from both Calvin and Claudine. Niall had called the fairy twins and expressed his desire that they look into Sam's disappearance. And if it was the Prince's desire, it was their primary responsibility. As soon as I answered the phone, Claudine had assured me that she would drive to Bon Temps right away and see what she could find out, and had told me that Claude always thought Sam "wasn't too bad looking for a shifter" and would also lend a hand. Claude's sense of responsibility to others tended to be self-serving at best, nonexistent at worse, but I figured if he wanted to help it couldn't hurt.

As usual, the leader of the Hotshot panthers Calvin Norris was completely on the ball. He told me he had sent five of his pack to Merlotte's, and that he and Tanya would be running the woods relentlessly for the next few days for any traces of Sam or Quinn. "Sam's a good man in my books" he had said "and no were or shifter should have to take on the tiger alone without warning" he finished.

I always liked Calvin, and times like today reminded me of why.

Looking at the clock and seeing it was only 11am, I realized I would need to find something to occupy my time until sundown. As much as I hated to admit it, I simply couldn't go anywhere alone today. If I didn't get kidnapped and killed by some vamps' day man, Eric would surely do the job the moment he discovered I had left the room. It went against every impulse within my body to stay cooped up though, particularly now that I knew one of my closest friends was in danger. I knew wouldn't be going back to sleep, I was far too anxious for that, and plus I had just polished off three cups of coffee while talking on the phone. I guess I would just have to sit here and think, spending the next few hours strategizing and analyzing as Eric does when things go wrong in Area 5.

_Just the kind of politics I try to avoid getting involved in _I thought somewhat bitterly.

My first order of business would be to call Fangtasia and have them send a waitress over to Merlotte's for the dinner shift. Normally I would ask Eric, he would call Pam, Pam would call the staff and so on. Today though, the chain of command didn't seem that important. I knew from talking to Amelia that Merlotte's had been swamped all week, but I also knew that Pam would be busy with far more pressing concerns when she rose than to worry about staff issues for a bar & grill in Bon Temps.

_How do I convince the wait staff at Fangtasia to do what I say? _I wondered._ It's still before noon so the only people there will be the janitors and possibly their head human waitress Ginger. _I thought to myself. _Well, all I can do is try._

As soon as I dialled the number, Ginger picked up.

"Fangtasia, the bar with the bite" she said immediately, sounding anxious.

"Ginger? It's me, Sookie" I said.

"Oh thank the Lord in Heaven. Is the Master with you?" She said, exhaling a long breath into the phone.

"It's midday" I replied, perhaps a little snippily.

"Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot" she said, and then I heard a clattering of dishes in the background.

_I so didn't have time for this._

"Uh Ginger, is everything okay?" I asked.

"A strange vamper came into the bar last night, looking for the Master and for Pam" she said quickly.

"And?" I asked.

"Well he said that if no one was going to be around to look after the bar, maybe he would do the job himself." She said.

"I'm not sure I'm following you Ginger, exactly what happened?" I asked her, clearly getting frustrated.

"Well, Felicia was the only vamp here at the bar last night, Thalia was supposed to come in but she didn't." Ginger said, sputtering. "So when that man came in, she was all worried and didn't know what to do. She said she kept calling Pam and Eric but there was no answer." Ginger said.

_Obviously they didn't answer, there was a damn war here in Hawaii _I thought, but didn't say anything.

"So that vamp just walked right past the bar and into Eric's office. He wouldn't leave and stayed even after we closed. Sookie, he could_ still _be here." She said frightfully. "What does he want?"

"I don't know Ginger, and I can't talk to Eric to see what he thinks. For now though, I want you to leave Fangtasia and lock up. Until you hear differently from Eric or Pam, close the bar for the night. I need you to do me a favour though Ginger." I said casually.

"Yes, anything if it means I don't have to stay here tonight" she said gratefully.

"I need you to go to Merlotte's in Bon Temps and work their dinner shift. Eric will pay you for your time. Ask Holly or Amelia for a uniform." I said.

"Of course, I'll call over right away and see when they need me." She said.

"Thank you. I have to go now Ginger, okay? Pam will call you as soon as she rises. Bye for now." I said, and hung up.

_That's one thing taken care of, at least _I thought to myself. _Now on to saving the world_ I thought wryly.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: A much longer, plot-driven chapter to follow over the weekend, I promise. Here's just a small sip of lemonade for all you Northman-ites. Enjoy.

Chapter 29

The rest of the afternoon and early evening passed surprisingly quickly. For the first few hours, I alternated between talking to Calvin, Alcide, Amelia, Jason or Claudine. I was heartened to know that everyone I cared about was doing what they could to help Sam.

Calvin had checked in with me a few times already and had informed me that after a few of the Hotshot panthers and Longtooth Weres sniffed around Sam's trailer and the bar, there could really be no doubt that Quinn had, in fact, gotten to Sam.

Most recently I had spoken to Jason; I guess he felt guilty for dismissing me so rudely on the phone earlier today.

"There's only a small trace of blood though Sook" Jason said, in an attempt to pacify me. It didn't work.

"He can't be that hurt." He finished.

"Uh, thanks Jason" I had said "call me back if there's any more news."

Figuring that for the moment I had done everything I could for Sam, I decided to climb back into bed with my Viking. He would be rising soon and we had so much to discuss and to take care of it made my head spin. All I wanted to do was revel in the sensation of his cool, muscular arms holding me close to his body, my own personal air conditioning in our beautiful though very hot and muggy hotel room. I realized once again that our vacation to Hawaii, a place so beautiful and surreal and relaxing that I had dreamt of visiting it my whole life, was not a vacation at all. In fact, I was considerably more relaxed back in Bon Temps before we left. I had been bored, even.

Looking for excitement after my shift at Merlotte's one night, I drove to Fangtasia. Here I was just one week later, having been kidnapped and beaten, having fought in a war, having killed Victor, having had sex on a beach a few times, and now discovering Eric could soon be killed or made King and that my best friend was abducted by my ex-boyfriend. That's not even considering the drama I had been through with Bill, and the small bond I now had with Pam.

Boredom seems almost like a joke to me now. The old adage about being careful what you wish for suddenly rang very true.

Taking off my clothes and pulling back the covers, I forced myself to clear my mind of all things and just feel Eric's cool skin under my fingertips. Running my hands over his hard chest and admiring his incredible form, I pushed feelings of love and need into the bond. Even though he was dead to the world, our mental connection had heightened so much I imagined he could feel me even during his daytime rest. Also, I knew it would be mere moments before he rose and wondered if he was more lucid because of it.

Suddenly, a slow grin crept over his features and I knew he felt me. He was already awake.

"Lover" Eric purred "I would have you admire me in this manner every evening as I rose" he said, his eyes still closed.

Almost as though sensing exactly where I was without looking at me, Eric then hungrily grabbed my hips and saddled me over his pelvis. He was already fully erect, and angled my body so that the tip of his cock was at my warm, wet entrance.

Still with eyes closed, he reached one hand down and found my nub. Rubbing me furiously for a few seconds, he discovered I was already more than ready and pushed his hips upward, filling me with his entire length.

"Ahh" he groaned, sounding both primal and relieved at once. "I needed you, dear one, more than you can imagine" he said, pumping his hips up into me. "I knew you were near me today" he continued, speeding his pace and kneading every inch of my naked flesh with his hands "and I felt hunger for you even as I slept." He said, sounding almost possessive.

"Ungh, Eric, ohmygod" I responded breathlessly, throwing my head back and riding him, hard. "Make me come Eric, please, make me come" I screamed to him, our hips bucking, his hands rubbing my sensitive nub again.

"Sookie" he yelled fiercely, and then ripped a piece of flesh from his wrist, put it to my mouth, and grabbed my wrist all at the same time. Suddenly we were feeding from each other, fucking, and rubbing ourselves all over each other. I was reminded of a time when Eric proclaimed that that was his sole wish.

As soon our blood mingled, his on my tongue and mine on his tongue, we both climaxed in perfect sync. With one final thrust, Eric filled me with his seed and finally opened his eyes.

"Good evening, lover" he said devilishly.

Review!


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Well, as of today the SVM series has officially come to an end. That, more than anything, finally reignited my desire to conclude a fanfic that has been ongoing since 2008. I realize that Slept Like the Dead hasn't been updated in years, and honestly I'd be shocked if many of you even remember it. However, a lot of us joined this site all those years ago at the same time due to a shared love of Sookie and Eric. I write this for them, and for you.

Forgive me if I'm a bit rusty.

Chapter 30

"What's good about it?" I replied, laughing a little.

"Do I need to show you all over again?" He asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"No, Eric, but thank you for clearing my head a little. It has been a trying day." I said, fatigue creeping into my voice.

Eric then disentangled himself from my grasp and eyed me worriedly.

"Tell me what happened." He said seriously, and reached out to hold my hand gently.

With much difficulty and more than a few interruptions from Eric, I relayed the endless phone conversations I had had throughout the day.

"So, to sum it up: Felipe had a contingency plan to ensure your cooperation? One that involved kidnapping your shifter boss, while also involving an ex-lover" He asked succinctly "and no one really knows anything more" he added, frowning.

"Basically, yes. But regardless of Quinn's past treachery, he's a Were. I can't believe he would consent to abduct Sam, a shifter. Doesn't that go against some kind of supe code?" I asked, hoping for some reassurance that this was all some kind of mistake.

Eric's look at that was incredulous.

"Sookie, you were in a supe _war_ last night. Quinn answers to De Castro and we already know he can be manipulated when his sister is threatened. My guess is that Felipe made another similar threat. Besides, while Weres and Shifters may be similar to an outsider's mind, believe me they are quite separate." Eric said, and then he got up from the bed and pulled on a pair of pants that had been crumpled on the floor. Pacing anxiously, he ran a hand through his hair and grabbed his cell phone from the nightstand.

"How could he get the jump on Sam anyway? Sam can shift into a lion for goodness sakes!" I said in frustration.

"I think the more pertinent question is why Sam at all? Why not Jason? He's a much easier target and a blood relative." Eric said, before beginning to dial a number.

"Eric, wait a minute before calling anyone else. I've been on the phone all day and I want to make some kind of plan, now that you're awake, before we involve other vampires." I said, and if I sounded petulant well I think I'm entitled.

Eric softened at that and returned to the bed, sitting by my side and rubbing my arm absentmindedly. His cool touch still had the ability to warm me, the dark and fierce depths in his eyes the ability to bring me some sense of strength amidst the chaos.

"Lover, unfortunately your bosses' abduction is not the only concern we have to deal with, or even the main one. Felipe is still missing and we can assume very hostile. Even without an army of subordinates he's a threat and a danger to you. And you are my first priority. I also have much to discuss with Preston, some of which cannot wait." He said in a voice of practised authority.

"Sam is my friend. I have to do something" I said "I know you have a lot to coordinate here, I understand that, but I should go home."

"No!" Eric thundered, startling me a little. "You are my bonded, I demand, no I _desire_ you to be here by my side. I can't protect you otherwise." He said, looking pained.

"I don't want this Eric. I just wanted a vacation. A chance to talk to you and sort things out, an opportunity to see a place I'd only dreamed of visiting before. All this-

I cut myself off. There was little point in rehashing it. Drama shadowed our every move.

"You've already told me you have Alcide's pack and Calvin's pack looking for Sam. Not to mention Claude and Claudine. There's little else you can do right now. Sookie, please, give me tonight to take care of some of the backlash from the war with Nevada. Preston may be a friend, but he is still a king. With Felipe out for blood, we need more than ever to secure our position" Eric said, his eyes grave.

It was his expression, more than his words, which finally convinced me.

"Alright, I will stay another night. But I have to get back to Bon Temps tomorrow no matter what. If anything happened to Sam because of me I could never forgive myself."

Eric nodded and was on the phone with Pam before I could say another word.

_Right, so, what next? _I asked myself a little numbly before heading to the shower.

Less than a minute later I found out. A fairy popped right into the bathroom where I was currently getting ready to take a shower.

"Claudine!" I exclaimed, shocked. "What on earth are you doing here? There are vampires everywhere! It's too dangerous!" I said, immediately standing between her and the door as if that would make any difference at all.

"Oh I think I'm perfectly safe here in this bathroom" she said lightly, and then added "cousin, you look like something the cat dragged in."

"That's in poor taste under the circumstances don't you think?" I said, a little snippily. Sam had only just been dragged off by a tiger after all.

"Oh, ha ha, forgive me" she laughed suddenly, catching on. Her laughter was as clear as a bell, her expression lovely. And she had come dressed to impress as usual, from the teal stilettos on up. Everything about her was pristine.

_I should call her Pristine Claudine, I thought suddenly to myself._

Yep, definitely exhausted.

Claudine must have realized that too because before I could say a word of protest, she shooed me into the shower stall and turned on the tap.

"I won't peek, honey. I just popped here quickly to talk. I don't have much time so listen closely. Grandfather alerted me to the war here last night, and to your shifter boss' abduction. Claude and I will do whatever we can, but that's not why I'm here. Niall would be furious if he knew I came" she said, and I got the impression that she was very anxious indeed.

I couldn't see her though, since I was showering and she was back on to me.

"What Niall sent you, that parcel, you should know it serves a greater purpose than killing vamps" she said that last part more quietly, I suspect because of Eric.

Actually, now that I thought about it, it was rather strange that Eric hadn't busted in on us the moment she arrived. Before Claudine could resume speaking, I said so.

"There is a very _very _temporary ward on the bathroom. It's why I can't stay long. The magic required is extremely tiresome and I need to maintain enough energy to pop back to Monroe. As far as your Viking is concerned you are alone in here." She said proudly.

"Well, uh, thank you for coming" I said, a little dazed. There wasn't much else I could think of to say, considering.

"You're welcome" Claudine said primly. "Now, as you may or may not know, the dagger is a Brigant heirloom. It only gets passed to someone who possesses a very specific aspect of the essential spark within the royal line. I always knew you were special, Sookie, but this, well, this means-

Claudine suddenly trailed off.

I stepped out of the shower to see if she was okay, just in time for the bathroom door to swing open.

Eric stood on the other side, naked and ready to join me in the shower. What he hadn't been expecting, was to walk right into my Fairy cousin Claudine, and to find me standing next to her naked and dripping wet.

Blushing a furious shade of red, I immediately grabbed a towel and startled him into alertness by throwing it at him away and closing the door in his face. I promptly grabbed another towel for myself and started drying off, cursing a little under my breath.

"Jesus Christ Shepherd of Judea, Claudine, I thought you said the bathroom was warded!" I said, suddenly immensely weirded out by the intimacy of the situation.

"It was!" She replied, indignant. "Unless you two are so closely bound that he is excluded from its effects?" She wondered aloud, obviously more to herself than anything because I surely didn't know the answer to her question.

"And I'm just going to say this once, Claudine, because I really do appreciate everything you've done for me and the fact you came here at all. But I am certainly not comfortable with being naked around family. I guess I'm just not very forward thinking in that Supe way that y'all are." I said, and it was pretty much final.

Claudine did her best not to look affronted. Now wrapped tightly in a towel I decided to give her a quick hug by way of showing I meant no offense. That brightened her up considerably.

A second or two passed and then suddenly Eric's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"How is it that I can't hear you two in there?" He asked, sounding simultaneously impressed and a little annoyed. "And why are you here at all, Claudine?"

"Ah, I must have gotten mixed up in my haste and only warded for sound." Claudine said, smiling, as though she had solved a huge mystery.

"The Northman certainly doesn't mince words, does he?" She continued, looking at me pointedly.

I shook my head, and then realized that if the bathroom was only protected from listening ears, it would do nothing to subdue Claudine's scent. Eric had been able to control himself in the past, but the other vampires? Preston? It didn't seem as likely. As soon as this thought occurred to me, my cousin seemed to come to the same conclusion.

"I have to go now Sookie" she said immediately, before kissing my cheek "we will finish this conversation soon. Be safe!"

She was gone as quickly as she came, and then Eric came barrelling back through the bathroom door.

The towel was on the floor in an instant, and I was pushed passionately against the bathroom wall.

"Lover, Pam and Bill will be here in minutes, and you smell like" he paused for a moment as though looking for words "like Valhalla. Like honey and sex and summer and blood and life."

With that, he licked my neck ravenously and began sucking on my lips as though starving.

Minutes ago I had been worried, perhaps even a little helpless with fear for my friend. Now my thoughts were a haze of want. It was though all reason had left me. Since arriving here, we could not be sated by one another. Not by half.

"I love you Sookie" he said, his mouth now pressed to my breast as he continued tasting me "and after all this is over" his fingers were moving towards my mound, finding my sweet spot and rubbing furiously "I will make you happier than you ever imagined."

His erection was huge and hard against my hand as he licked and kissed and touched me. With one hand in his thick blond hair, I reached for him and began to stroke with the other. We were desperate for one another. Ravenous. All the fear and love and sex and excitement, the anxiety and uncertainty and passion and promise combined in a heady mixture of wanting that is impossible to describe.

There was Eric, and me, and our skin touching, and the sound of my breathing. I felt blood pumping through my veins to every part of me. I felt awake and powerful. Eric's rhythm against my clit hastened, my own strokes speeding up to match.

In a move that surprised even me, I dropped to my knees before our release and took Eric in my mouth. When his seed hit my tongue I came undone. It was an orgasm so intense we both collapsed on the bathroom floor. Eric was shouting something in Old Norse while I struggled to regulate my breathing.

Then there was a knock at the door. I had been expecting Pam and Bill.

It was Preston.

_Well, that makes sense._


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: I'm in awe over the number of people who read yesterday's chapter after a three year hiatus. Thanks for your all patience and for your words of encouragement.

Turned By Eric: it's good to be back (from the dead)

Chapter 31

_Of course_ King Preston was standing outside the door during mine and Eric's bathroom lovemaking session. That kind of thing was definitely his cup of tea…or, er…blood.

"I should get the door, dear one. " Eric said finally, standing up and grabbing a hotel bath robe.

"Yes you should" I agreed shakily, closing the door behind him for some privacy to collect myself. I was a little disoriented and dishevelled.

I couldn't help but wonder for a moment at my pliability with regards to the king's gift at seduction. I was usually a level headed girl. Stubborn perhaps, but level headed. I certainly wasn't a wanton fangbanger. Yes Eric and I were in a good place now, and we were on a sort-of vacation, but the frequency and severity of our desire for one another couldn't be normal even _with _Preston's involvement.

_I mean maybe it would be for vamps, but for me? _

All the violence, the blood, the politics, these weren't things that human women had to deal with so regularly if at all. But then, maybe I was simply never going to _be_ normal. In fact, when I had a few weeks to myself after Felipe offered his formal protection, I had grown bored.

I realized it was time to reconcile the old Sookie with the new one. I didn't want to have to compromise my character too much, or entirely readjust my morals, but I wasn't the same person anymore and I figured I should stop acting as though I were.

I would always be Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic waitress from Bon Temps, but I wasn't _only _that. I was more.

By the time I was dried off and properly moisturized, I called out for Eric to bring me in some clothes. I thought I heard Preston offer to do so in his place but couldn't be sure. Eric seemed to be laughing from time to time, too, which I took to mean that things weren't as bad as they could be.

A moment later the door opened a crack and Eric handed me a lovely and very beach-formal turquoise dress with matching underthings. Apparently they were a gift from the king since my outfit from the previous night had been ruined in the battle.

The old me might have scoffed at the highhandedness. The new me still did, a little. But I took the hanger from Eric's hand with a small sigh and resigned myself to being gracious when I emerged from the bathroom. It did appear to be my size and should offset my tan nicely. Since it wasn't overly revealing, either, I could almost argue that the dress had been a thoughtful gift.

As I pulled it gently over my head, I noticed that the fabric was as light as an ocean breeze and as soft as butter. Made of exquisite silk, the knee-length A-line of the material seemed to wisp over my legs and body. It was classy, and weightless, and stunning. I decided then and there to leave my hair down in a loose wave, and to wear simple jewellery. Coupled with my tan and the infusions of Eric's blood, I'm not ashamed to say I looked _damn good._

When I joined Eric and Preston in the room, I could tell they were pleased with the result. I blushed a little, then, and did a small curtsy for the King. He nodded happily in response.

A moment later there was another knock on the door as Pam and Bill arrived.

I let them in, and they both eyed me appreciatively before sinking to one knee.

Considering how close we all were, I thought standing on ceremony for Preston like that was a little odd. Until I realized they were kneeling in front of Eric.

I looked at him in alarm.

"Sookie, you knew this was a possibility last night when we fought and won" Eric said, gesturing for Pam and Bill to stand.

"A possibility, yes, not an immediate certainty" I said, the pitch of my voice rising considerably "why didn't you tell me?"

"I just found out" he stated simply. I noticed the other vamps in the room were looking back and forth between us as though watching a tennis match.

"You mean to tell me" I started, walking over to him determinedly "that you became King while I was _curling my hair?_" I said in shock.

Before Eric could reply Preston had burst out in to peals of laughter. "She really is a hoot, Northman, honestly I just want to keep her."

Pam grinned a little strangely. Bill stood mutely but I noticed his hand was shaking. Odd.

"And what a lovely job you did, lover. It looks fantastic" Eric said.

I may have huffed at that.

"So what does this mean" I asked, directing my question to everyone in the room.

"Well it means that your beau and I have a lot of tedious paperwork to do. We have to divide Felipe's territories, assign sheriffs, and host numerous fealty ceremonies. It's all such a bore." Preston said, as though he were referring to filing his taxes and not assuming monarchy over an American state.

"Right now" Eric began "Preston already controls Hawaii. We have to split Nevada, Louisiana and Arkansas in a way that is suitable to us both. We also have to meet with the Council, and I will need to organize a coronation." He finished, almost as an afterthought.

"Too bad Quinn is busy" Pam said with a smirk.

I glared at her. This was so not the time for jokes. She shrugged innocently.

"Majesties" Bill suddenly spoke up, and everyone looked at him as though only now realizing he was in the room "we should contact the other Kings and Queens as well. Immediately."

Preston rolled his eyes, but Eric looked thoughtful.

"Compton, you and I still have to have words. But for now I agree. Contact Stan in Texas. He is still recovering from Rhodes but his second should be able to pass on any pertinent information."

Bill left without a backward glance.

"Pamela, send word to your sibling. I will need Karin's assistance quite soon I expect" Pam looked surprised for a fleeting second but didn't comment. As she turned to leave he added "we will also need to speak with Appius" in an almost inaudible whisper.

I was beyond confused.

"Who are Karin and Appius?" I asked.

"We will discuss it later" Eric replied, then turned to Preston "I will contact Russell, but I have no desire to speak with some of the other regents."

"Oklahoma?" Preston said knowingly.

"Among others" Eric stated.

Preston was silent for a moment.

"I will have my subordinates begin making the necessary calls and arrangements" he said eventually, and then turned to me. "Sookie, I would like a word with you tonight. In my room, if you please. I will send someone for you."

Eric nodded in agreement. I suddenly felt like I was wildly uninformed about virtually everything going on around me and I didn't like it one bit.

"May I ask why?" I said.

"You may not" Preston answered, and swept from the room. As he sped past, my turquoise dress fluttered and I felt a gentle touch brush my cheek.

_Vampires._

Two hours passed during which I didn't get a single opportunity to speak to Eric. He alternated between talking on the phone, writing texts, and e-mailing his subordinates their orders. I had had to call for some room service just to keep myself occupied.

Eric had at least offered me apologetic glances from time to time, and indicated that I should feel free to listen in as much as I could and ask questions later. From this I realized again that Eric assumed power so easily, the shift from sheriff to King would be seamless. However, I could tell that he was torn about his new status. His voice never gave this away, nor did his gestures. But his eyes…

Eventually I decided that I needed some fresh air. It was a full moon, which is probably why neither Calvin nor Jason or Alcide had gotten back in touch with me about Sam. I hoped that tomorrow would be rife with news from the Were/Shifter grapevine if such a thing existed. I really hated being in the dark and unable to really do anything. I was really worried about my friend.

I was also worried about meeting with Preston later, and the bond with Pam, and how strangely Bill was continuing to behave. Furthermore, Claudine's surprise visit had left me with nothing but more questions.

Did I mention I was worried?

I definitely needed some fresh air and a fresh perspective. I was feeling decidedly cooped up in the hotel room and the new dress really needed more a lot play than it was getting. I gestured to Eric to get his attention and he immediately shut his phone without a word of goodbye or any indication he would be calling back.

Gran would have rolled over in her grave at the manners.

"Sookie, I know this hasn't been much of a relaxing vacation for you" he said.

"No it hasn't" I said simply, and Eric looked a little sad "but it's not your fault Eric." I said sincerely. His face lit up in a smile.

"You aren't mad? When I properly assume the role of King my life-

"Stop, there's plenty of time for that. I just want to focus on right now. I know you're busy, but I really need some fresh air. Even a half an hour on the beach would help."

He considered me for a second and said: "I think I can manage that. Just look at the moon" he said, gesturing out the large opaque window which provided a breathtaking view of the ocean and sky. It was big and bright and beautiful.

"I thought only twoey's cared about the full moon" I joked, poking him in the chest.

"I am vampire and over a thousand years old. No one cares about the night, the moon, more than I do." He said gently, and then held my hand, walking me to the door.

After exiting the hotel, Eric flew us to a nearby beach which wasn't part of the resort. As we landed, he pointed out all the different campfires and cookouts, tents and parties which scattered the beach in this local area. People were celebrating, and playing guitar, and making love, and drinking beer, and counting stars.

They weren't a part of supernatural politics; they were just enjoying the night and living their life. I felt a temporary moment of envy at that, until I looked at the man by my side.

Eric.

The salt spray and the flying had mussed his blond hair, and he looked like he could be any other (albeit gorgeous) man spending an evening on the beach. He held my hand tightly and didn't say a word. Looking out at the sea with him, I realized that I was standing with a man, a Viking, who had seen so much and done so much in his lifetime.

Just as I was more than a telepathic barmaid, Eric was more than a vampire King. Much more.

"This is just what I needed, thank you" I said, hugging into his arm a little.

"I wanted every night we spent here to be like this" he replied, still staring at the crashing waves. There was longing, there.

"Where's the fun in that?" I joked, not quite convincingly.

"If you wanted to, you could be a Queen" he said, turning to look me in the eye.

I didn't know what to say to that so I kept quiet. Things were moving too quickly already and there was still so much I didn't know about his world. So much I didn't know about who I _was_. I felt Niall's dagger warm against my thigh.

"What about Felipe?" I asked, changing the subject "have you heard any news from your subordinates about him, or what our next steps are?"

He shook his head no, so I thought about bringing up his promise to let me return to Bon Temps tomorrow. I decided it wasn't the right time.

Eric had said I could be a Queen and I gave him no answer.

He didn't press the subject any further.


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Some of you really went out of your way to leave me some kind words and I appreciate it more than I can say! I love hearing from you. Since I don't want to spoil anything, I won't answer your questions directly but I will say this: things are about to get difficult. Trust me anyway.

Chipndalegal: lol at "emo Bill' and its neat watching you go through the chapters like that.

Bowlingforvampires: thank _you._

Chapter 32

We sat in the sand for a few minutes after that, silently breathing in the ocean air and letting the surf just barely reach our feet. The palm trees which lined this small section of beach sheltered us a little, and hid us away from the other people further down enjoying the night as well.

I then realized that right now, in this moment, I felt the edges of happiness; of how it _could_ be. Even amidst all the tumult of our vacation to Hawaii I knew I felt safe with Eric, content, but also totally alive. It was as though all the things I still had to resolve just melted away with the sinking sand. The only thing that existed was now.

I could tell that Eric was wishing things were this simple always.

Yet, I knew in my heart that he would never be happy if they were. A life hidden away in some corner of the world free of politics might be okay for a month, or a year, or even ten years, but contented existence isn't enough for someone who has lived a thousand years and Eric was born a Viking. The desire to see the world, and have adventures, and conquests, and battles, was so deeply ingrained in him that it could never be erased. Some memories, it seemed, no matter how long since lived, are such a part of you that nothing can take them away.

And then, just as quickly as our moment had come, it passed.

Brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, Eric said: "we need to get back. There's much to do and little time to do it."

"I know, let's go" I said, standing up and brushing the sand from my dress.

Eric then stood up by my side and put one hand gently on my neck. The other, he placed on my lower back. He pulled me in tightly, securing me to him. After the gentlest of kisses, he said: "hold on tight" and took to the sky.

When we arrived back at the hotel, the concierge approached us right away indicating he had a message.

"Miss Stackhouse" he said "the King has requested that I escort you to his rooms at once."

"If I may?" I asked, leaning in to touch his arm. I wasn't going to let another of Felipe's spies catch me unawares.

The concierge, whose name tag read 'James,' must have been privy to my telepathy and expecting this. He didn't flinch at the contact and simply nodded.

"Can I trust you James?" I asked quietly, and then shut out the other noises in the lobby around me to listen to his thoughts.

…_seems nice enough. The vampire she's with is much more my type. Yum. I hope she gets on with it because the King sounded urgent. I wonder if I should offer her companion my blood. He's definitely the Viking everyone keeps talking about. I can't wait to tell George when I get off work…_

His thoughts ran together and seemed to flit from subject to subject but I didn't believe he had any malicious intent. It was kind of amusing listening to him, actually, because he stood stock still and mannerly like a concierge should while his mind indicated a more playful personality.

I stepped back from him and nodded at Eric.

"James" Eric said "ensure that my bonded arrives at the king's quarters immediately. Do not stop; do not talk to anyone else." He hadn't said it threateningly, but you would have to be foolish or stupid or both not to understand the subtext.

The concierge's eyes widened a little but he promised that he would.

"Dear one" he leaned in and whispered "I will join you directly. I sense that Pamela strongly desires a word. Remember your gift if you have need of it." He squeezed my hand and then promptly walked towards the elevator.

Did he mean my telepathy? Or was he referring to the dagger strapped to my thigh? I prayed there would be no cause for the latter.

_I was safe with Preston, right? What did he even want to meet about?_

James escorted me to an ornate elevator door which required a special security card and password. He explained that it was the King's private elevator and was the only one which opened directly to his room. He also chattered on about the various private or high security areas that it accessed. Whether he was telling me this because he figured I could simply pluck it from his head I wasn't sure. But I sincerely hoped he wasn't foolish enough to tell just anyone this kind of information. Where vampires were concerned, a human who talks too much is a huge liability.

The elevator came to a sudden stop and Preston's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Rigby" He questioned "is Miss Stackhouse with you?"

"Yes, Majesty" I replied for the concierge I now knew to be James Rigby.

"Excellent, you may proceed" he said, and the elevator started again.

If I weren't so impressed with the fact that Preston could somehow control the elevator on his end I would have laughed at the paranoia of vampires. Time and time again, though, their self-preservation tactics seemed to be the only thing keeping them alive. Or dead, as it were.

When we finally reached Preston's floor, James slid back a small piece of steel revealing a spot for his thumbprint. Immediately, a small green light flashed and the doors opened. James ushered me into an elegant foyer and then retreated back to the elevator.

I was alone with a King.

Eric POV

I didn't like letting Sookie go with the breather but I didn't have much choice. Preston had requested her presence only. Given the extreme lengths he had gone to on our behalf I figured he was deserving of my trust. But I would still go to her as soon as I spoke with Pam.

I knew my child was in distress. I had tasked her with contacting my eldest, Karin, and to find a way to get in touch with her grandsire on my behalf. It had been, most thankfully, a long time since I had seen Appius and I didn't relish the thought of our reunion. He had closed off the bond a long time ago which was a great relief but made it impossible for me to locate him. All I knew was that he still lived. Occasionally I received word that he had been seen in Istanbul, or Prague, or, most recently, Oklahoma. His presence in America unnerved me greatly.

His silence even more so.

By now I had reached my room, and found both Pam and Bill pacing the hallway in front of the door so I unlocked it and they followed me in. I could feel my child's agitation so I gestured for her to speak first. Compton would have to wait.

"My sister bids me offer you her congratulations" Pam said formally "and assures me she will be in attendance at your coronation. She also insists upon travelling immediately to Shreveport."

I contemplated this. There was still much for me to take care of in Hawaii, but then again I had also promised Sookie we would return home so she could help in the effort to locate Merlotte. Her insistence to repeatedly put herself in harm's way irritated me greatly. Furthermore, one shifter's fate was extremely low on my list of priorities. If Karin would be in Shreveport it would give me a more adequate reason to supply Preston with for my imminent departure.

I told Pam to continue.

"I'm afraid that I also have some rather troubling news, Master" Pam said anxiously.

I noticed her tense up considerably. Even Bill seemed uncomfortable. _Did he know something?_

"Apparently Ocella has sired an uncontrollable child" she said slowly "Alexei Romanov."

I wouldn't have been more surprised if she had told me he had sired Beyoncé.

"That is troubling news indeed, particularly for the boy" I said somberly, memories of the years after my Turning flooding my mind "but I do not see how it pertains to our current situation. I wanted only to inform him of my impending Kingship."

"I think you will find it pertains to the situation a great deal" Bill interjected.

"Please enlighten me as to how" I replied.

"You know more than anyone that Appius Livius Ocella is one of the most powerful and experienced vampires in existence, and cruel. The other Royals fear and despise him. With your elevated position, he will be at an even greater advantage. The other monarchs will be extremely uneasy about this" Bill said.

"That would be true regardless of the Romanov boy" I argued.

"Yes, but a high profile vampire such as Alexei Romanov, if he cannot be controlled, will be insurmountably bad for vampire-human relations. This could also threaten your position as king. If you do not wish to be battling endlessly to maintain your position-

"That I did not even particularly want" I interrupted.

"You will need a strong alliance. Or you will need to…Ocella will need to…die." Bill stated, his face ashen.

By now Pam's anxiety had reached an almost palpable level.

"What aren't you telling me? Speak!" I demanded, staring at my child.

"My sister says she has heard from friends in Oklahoma's court that Alexei is reckless, Eric, mad. That Appius grows desperate. I'll admit that the idea of my grandsire in a desperate position frightens me." Pam finished.

"It should" I admitted "but how is it possible that I am only discovering this now?" I asked in frustration "and why has Karin not contacted me directly about this?" I finished.

"She assumed you already knew, Master" Pam said.

"This is why I fucking hate politics!" I roared "I simply do not have the desire to gossip endlessly with other Sheriffs or Royals. I stay out of it completely and run my area. And because of this, I somehow do not discover I have a half-mad Romanov as brother of my blood! I'm not even officially King and already I must worry about defending my position."

"Is it possible, Eric, that Appius simply didn't wish for you to know? It could be that he has forbidden others of speaking about Alexei." Pam suggested "a threat from him would not be taken lightly" she concluded.

"Even if that were true, something like this shouldn't have been able to be kept secret from me. I will need to employ spies, it seems. Something I've always been loath to do."

I then turned and walked towards Bill so that I was inches away from him.

"Please tell me that Stan Davis supports my claim" I said "tell me that you did what was asked."

"Wholeheartedly, _Majesty_" Bill said, not without a hint of sarcasm.

"At last, some good news" I said "and now I must go. Bill, make the necessary arrangements for all of us to return to Shreveport tomorrow night. Pam, I want you to call Fangtasia and bring everyone up to speed. Make sure you speak with Thalia, too. Inform her that I have a special task for her when I return."

Bill and Pam promptly left to attend to their duties.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a second to collect myself and feel for Sookie in the bond. She was surprised, and, aroused (?) but completely unharmed. I found myself to be much more curious about her meeting with Preston than interested in my own clusterfuck of new problems.

I headed for the King's suite.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Eric POV

By the time I had arrived at Preston's suite I was about ready to pull out a stake and turn that smarmy ass to a pile of goo on the floor. I was fuming. We had always been comrades, and yet he orders my bonded to his room and then turns on his seductive charms? I was a King now, damn it! This sort of shit just wasn't going to fly.

I had been mad enough after listening to Pam and Bill discuss my maker. Now I was going to collect some fucking heads.

At first I had felt mild arousal coming from Sookie, and that had only made me curious. Simply being in Preston's presence brought that out in people. But this, this was a crushing fall-on-your-knees and beg for sex kind of turned on. My lover only felt that way for me!

But what happened when I opened the door was not at all what I was expecting.

Felipe de Castro sat in a chair in the corner of the room, a look of pure madness on his face. He must have been in incredible pain and severely weakened from the wound which had virtually severed his arm, and yet, instead of hiding somewhere and feeding until he healed, here he was in the King's Suite.

Preston was surrounded by what remained of Felipe's old guard. They each held a stake so that it just barely touched him. He was wearing nothing but a pair of pants, which had been torn somehow. He was slumped a little and his eyes had gone totally black. It looked as though he had been forced to use the full extent of his gift on Sookie, who was, thank Odin, still fully clothed.

But she was walking towards Felipe with unbridled lust.

I immediately thought back to a few nights ago when Sookie had heard his thoughts, and told me he intended to have her and force me to watch. This had been his plan all along.

_He was a dead man._

"Preston, stop this" I said, trying desperately to reach my old friend. If Sookie got close enough to touch Felipe she would never get over it. And I would fly into a rage the likes of which the world had never known until now.

"It's no use" Felipe sneered "we have a witch in our retinue. Preston has been under my control for an hour now."

"You have no retinue. You are no king." I said, fangs extending in a loud snick. "Let her go now and you will have a quick death."

"Take one step, Northman, and your bitch telepath will be sitting on my lap." Felipe said in a hiss. "She's already frothing at the mouth for a taste." He spat at me.

"Miss Stackhouse" he then said lustily "we need only wait a moment longer."

It was as though she didn't know of anything but what Preston was making her feel for Felipe. She was oblivious to my presence, to anyone's presence but his. It was sickening. It wasn't lust, it was mind control. Preston's gift had been altered somehow by the witches' magic. I wanted to rip the throat from every single vampire that had ever been loyal to Felipe de fucking Castro.

I realized I was actually shaking with anger.

I opened the maker/child bond with Pam, calling her to me with the maker's command. I felt her shock at being commanded and then I sensed her drawing nearer. Satisfied that I had some backup, I then sent every ounce of love I had to Sookie through _our_ bond. I thought about meeting her that first night in Fangtasia, when she wore the white dress with red flowers. I thought about her sucking the bullet from me in Dallas, and about healing her when she had been staked. I remembered her courage in Rhodes. I recalled each and every one of our many embraces. I remembered laughing with her most of all.

_Sookie, my Sookie, hear me_. I projected at her desperately. _Lover, feel me._

"Eric?" She asked suddenly, her voice confused. "Where are we?" she asked in a daze.

"Preston!" Felipe commanded "work harder!" He ordered. "Come here girl" Felipe called to Sookie.

She seemed as though she were a puppet being pulled by a string. She looked at me for a moment, and then turned away, reaching for Felipe.

Finally the effort of using the entirety of his gift for so long seemed to be too much for Preston. He slid to the floor and began to convulse. At that exact moment, Pam and Bill kicked in the door to Preston's room and stormed in, along with about twenty of Preston's retinue.

_About fucking time _I thought. Just what kind of Kingdom was Preston running anyway? _Oh right _I remembered _the kind that's more of a harem than a court._

Outnumbered about three to one, De Castro's guards dropped their weapons. I had a long sword in my hand and their heads on the floor before Felipe stood up. I flew to his side and pinned him to the wall.

Gasps of shock escaped the mouths of Preston's guards.

"Hear me now" I thundered "the person who lays an unwanted hand on my beloved will meet the end of my sword." I meant it.

"Threaten a king and you will be offered no quarter. These vampires held your King against his will. They have been dealt with" I finished.

Sookie finally seemed to be out from under Preston's control. She started to waver a little on the spot. Bill was at her side to catch her in an instant. As irritating as that was, I was relieved she hadn't fallen. She was only partially conscious. Bill brought her to the sofa.

Pam had run to Preston.

"Call Ludwig, Pamela, now" I ordered. She had her phone in her hand and had dialed the number in less than a second.

"What do we do with this treacherous filth?" I asked the room at large, as I held him to the wall by the neck.

Felipe looked green.

"The council will never stand for this Northman. I'm a King!" He hissed. I grasped his neck harder, preventing him from speaking again.

"The kill is yours, King Eric the Norseman" sounded a raspy voice from behind me.

I recognized that voice. It was the Ancient Pythoness.

"Pythoness" I said, turning sideways a little and bowing my head. Under normal circumstances I would have sunk to one knee before her. As it was, I couldn't let go of Felipe.

"You've been busy" she stated.

"Yes" I agreed.

At that moment, Ludwig popped into the room as well.

"What now, Northman?" Ludwig asked impatiently. Then she spotted the Pythoness and bowed. "Apologies, wise one" she said.

"Amy, you haven't called me that in over a century. Please see to King Mandrel. Then see to the poor telepath" she ordered, and Ludwig promptly hustled over to Preston, pushing Pam out of the way.

"Now then" she addressed me again "are you going to stake him or not? I grow tired of waiting."

Felipe's eyes widened with terror. I was about to obey when Sookie spoke up.

"I wish to say something first" she said, standing up and wobbling a little.

"Sookie, you should rest-

"I will. But I need to do this." She insisted, walking towards us.

Preston's guards, Bill, Pam, Ludwig, and the Pythoness observed in rapt attention.

"You offered me your formal protection" Sookie said sadly "I saved your life."

"Eric, can you let him speak please?" She asked me.

I loosened my hold a little.

"You are nothing. You are a human pet. Do not presume to converse with me" Felipe choked out.

"You have no honor. You do not deserve an honorable death." She said, unstrapping the dagger from her thigh. "I do not relish violence, but after what you intended to do to me…" Sookie trailed off.

Then she looked to me for approval. She wished to kill him herself.

_My Sookie, she was magnificent._

I nodded in agreement with her decision.

She then stood inches away from De Castro, and plunged the silver knife into his heart. He met the true death instantly.

A flash of brilliant white light burst forth from the room and she disappeared.

"What the fuck?" Pam asked, looking around in panic.

"Interesting" the Pythoness added "good luck Northman. I must take my leave" she concluded, before she too, disappeared.

"Explain" I demanded of Ludwig, since she was the only person in the room qualified to even begin to formulate an explanation of what had happened.

"Relax, Viking" Dr. Ludwig said "I dare say she'll be fine. Preston Mandrel is less so."

Pam looked stricken.

At this I decided the guards were privy to far too much.

"All those of Preston's retinue may take their leave. I will look after your king." I said, in a voice which brooked no argument. "Send a team to clean this mess in two hours." I finished.

They all bowed and left.

"What needs to be done?" I asked Ludwig, as I knelt by Preston's side.

"It seems that his energy, supernatural and otherwise, has been totally expended" Ludwig clucked in a decidedly judgemental way "he has been using his gift far too much and his chi has depleted."

"There was a war!" Pam said protectively "and then he was forced!"

"Even so" Ludwig said "coupled with this nasty amateur spell work…" she reached into her medical satchel and removed what appeared to be a yellowed magnifying glass. She opened one of Preston's eyelids and peered at him through the glass.

"The spell should, shall we say, time out now that Felipe is dead. But it will be severely mentally taxing. His ability, his _vitality_ may never return" she concluded.

"But he will live?" I asked hopefully.

"If vampires can be considered to live, then yes, I expect he will. But he will need blood. A lot of it." She said, closing her bag. "Northman, I'll send you the bill." With that, she unceremoniously popped out.

"When we find the witch who did this" Pam said, picking Preston up as though he weighed nothing and laying him on the bed "she will beg for death."

"For all we know she was coerced" Bill said "we should uncover the truth before acting rashly."

Pam shot daggers at him and he shrugged but said nothing else.

"We need to find Sookie. Now" I said, the enormity of her disappearance weighing on me fully.

"How?" Pam and Bill asked, somewhat in unison.

"By contacting the only person who might be able to help us" I said, reaching for my phone.

"And that person is…?" Bill asked testily.

I would definitely have to deal with Compton before the coronation. His insubordination was unacceptable.

"Niall" I said, and typed in the number I had seen on a business card on top of Sookie's things.

**Sookie POV**

When I opened my eyes I was in my bed in Bon Temps. Claudine was leaning over me, watching me intently.

"What happened?" I asked blearily.

"Who's to say?" Claudine said cryptically.

I wasn't in the mood for this. I decided on a more straightforward question.

"How did I get here, then?" I asked, sitting up.

She handed me a steaming mug of coffee.

_I guess she really is my guardian angel_ I thought.

"I can't really answer that, Sookie" Claudine said, sitting down on the bed.

"What do you mean you can't answer that?" I asked, glaring at her in frustration.

"Well, I can't answer it because I'm kind of flabbergasted myself. Was it you who brought you here? The daggers' magic? Niall? Was it my wishing for your safety, or was it all of those things?" She said, and I could tell she honestly didn't know.

I could feel a headache coming on.

"Has anyone thought to call Eric at least?" I asked, searching frantically around the bed for my cell phone.

"All of your things are still in your hotel room" Claudine said "except that." She gestured to the dagger. It sat on my bedside table innocently. A flash of sunlight gleamed through the curtains and landed squarely on the hilt.

"You didn't answer my question" I said.

"The Viking knows you are safe" she replied, frowning a little.

"Was that so hard?" I asked, getting out of bed and heading for the bathroom.

"You should really rest, cousin" Claudine said "I am here to take care of you."

"Thank you, but I can take care of myself" I said. "Have you eaten breakfast?" I asked, remembering my manners.

"I have not. Would you like me to make some bacon and eggs?" She asked hopefully.

"That would be heaven" I replied honestly, and then decided to give her a hug. She was only trying to help, after all, and fairies did love their physical contact.

I noticed that I felt better, too.

TBC

You do want to review, don't 'cha?


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

After a relatively normal breakfast with Claudine, during which she evaded all my questions until I simply stopped asking any, she headed back to Monroe to make it to Dillard's for her afternoon shift. Amelia was nowhere to be seen either so I guessed she was working at Merlotte's. I noticed that in my absence, my compulsively clean roommate must had been so busy covering for me at that she hadn't had time to keep things in good order at the house.

I was _almost_ grateful for that, because it gave me some mindless tasks to take care of while I thought up a strategy to help find Sam. I really didn't want to go charging into the unknown without some kind of plan. All this housework also gave me the opportunity to reflect on everything that had happened in the past week.

I quickly realized that there were a still a lot of things I had to figure out.

Perhaps most importantly was what would happen to Eric and me when he officially became King. _Would he stay in Shreveport? Would we still be a couple?_ I honestly didn't know.

I also remembered that I had planned to have dinner with Niall upon my return and decided that sooner was definitely better than later for our meeting. We had a lot to discuss about my past and all the many things that had been kept secret from me. There was even more to discuss about my future.

And then there was Bill. His behaviour had been so conflicting at times that I had no idea what to make of him. I knew he cared about me but beyond that, his motivations were anyone's guess.

I wondered how Preston was doing.

All of these thoughts ran through my head as I washed dishes, hung laundry on the line, and swept up the back porch. _The house was looking better already._

As I continued doing the mundane chores which kept my big old farmhouse in decent shape, another realization dawned on me: hadn't I called Ginger at Fangtasia and been met with her fear over an unknown vampire in Eric's office? There had been so much happening lately that it had completely slipped my mind.

_I had better head over to Merlotte's and talk to her _I thought _and while I'm there I'll see if I can come up with any leads on Sam._

I still hadn't heard from Calvin Norris or Alcide, but then, my cellphone was in Hawaii and they probably didn't know I was home yet. I resolved to call them just as soon as I spoke to Amelia and Ginger at the bar.

_Just another day in the life of Sookie Stackhouse._

0o0o0o0

After a quick shower to freshen up I was ready to head out the door. Just as I closed and locked it behind me, I heard the sound of tires crunching gravel as an unfamiliar truck came up the driveway. Squinting my eyes against the sun for a better view, I was able to make out a large bald man in the driver's seat.

Quinn.

I decided I had a moment or two before he got to the end of the driveway and out of the car. If I strained I might be able to hear his thoughts and determine whether or not he was a threat. Weres and Shifters were a little harder to read but it was by no means impossible. I had done it in the past and figured that with the recent infusions of Eric's blood, which had allowed me to strengthen both my shields and allowed me to hear vampires more frequently, Quinn shouldn't be too hard at this distance.

He was an open book.

_…she'll know that I had no choice. He had Frannie. I wouldn't have hurt the shifter unless there was no way around it._

It was enough to let me know I was in no danger. It was also enough to put Quinn permanently on my shit list.

By now he had come to a stop and was headed towards me, tail between his legs. _Ha._

"Sookie listen" he started to say, his hands up in a gesture of contrition "with Felipe out of the way I let Sam go."

"Where is he, Quinn?" I demanded.

"Back at his trailer-

"Then get off my property" I said "before I call the police."

"Hey, babe, he's fine" Quinn said, slowly coming closer "I just want to talk. Explain myself."

"I have nothing to say to you ever again. Sam is my friend. I don't listen to people who hurt my friends." I said firmly, arms crossed.

"You're going to have to talk to me eventually. When I received word from my boss that Felipe was finally dead, he mentioned a coronation. EEE are handling the whole thing. And unless you and the fanger are no longer involved, which would be good news for everyone, I expect you'll be there." Quinn said smugly.

"Get. Off. My. Property" I repeated, enunciating every word "you could have done anything, Quinn, _anything_ else to get your sister out of trouble. This I can't and won't forgive."

"I still don't know where she is" Quinn said miserably "when I knew Felipe and his retinue were finished there was no point in holding Sam. But I still haven't found Frannie. I came here to ask you for help."

_You've got to be kidding me _I thought _after everything he wants my help?_

"I'm truly sorry about your sister but you're going to have to find someone else to look for her. I'm done." I said, and maybe I was being a bad Christian but I hoped that God would forgive me for putting my foot down.

Quinn actually had the nerve to look hurt. He didn't appear to be going anywhere any time soon either. So I decided to just get in the car and go to Merlotte's anyway.

I left him standing on my gravel driveway in a cloud of dust.

0o0o0o0

The first thing I did when I pulled up to the bar was head to Sam's trailer. I wanted to see for myself if he was okay.

I knocked but there was no answer so I turned the doorknob and was surprised to find it unlocked.

"Sam" I called out "if you're in there, I'm coming in."

"Sookie?" he asked, sounding a bit disoriented "what are you doing here? I thought you were gone away with Eric?"

I stepped inside to see him lying on the sofa in a pair of old cut-offs. He looked ragged and exhausted. He could barely lift his head to look at me.

"I'm back" I said "but let's talk about you. Are you hurt? What happened?"

"I'll be okay" he replied "just a bad few days is all."

"Is there anything I can get you? Do you want a glass of water? Or I could run over to the bar for some sweet tea" I said.

"That's real nice of you but I'm fine" he said.

"Don't you play tough with me Sam Merlotte" I warned gently "I know about Quinn. You had me worried half to death. Calvin and Alcide's packs have been looking for you."

"Why'd you go getting them involved? I could have handled it" he protested shakily.

"I know you could have" I said, because I believed it, mostly "but you've got friends here Sam, and you would have done the same for me."

He didn't comment.

"I'm going to go on and let you get some sleep. But I expect you to tell me what happened when you get your strength back" I said, heading towards the trailer door. "I'll tell everyone you're alright."

"Thanks, Sookie" Sam said quietly.

"Any time" I replied.

0o0o0o0

When I stepped into Merlotte's I was relieved to see it running smoothly in spite of Sam's and my absence. That's not to say that I thought I was irreplaceable, but having Terry in charge of the bar made me a little uneasy. He was a sweet guy but his tendency to slip into a mood due to his PTSD made him slightly unreliable. At least when Sam or I was around it seemed to happen somewhat less often. And I'm not ashamed to say I had a knack for the other responsibilities around Merlotte's that only Sam usually took care of.

In any case, Amelia appeared to have done a great job in my place and I was glad.

I hoped that when I spoke to Ginger I would get some good news on that front as well. I was more than a little worried that my failure to inform Eric about the mysterious vamp at Fangtasia would have some bad repercussions.

"Sookie" I heard Terry say in relief as I approached the bar "I'm real glad you're here. There's orders to fill and I wasn't sure what else needed doin' out back" he finished, drying some beer glasses.

"Thanks Terry" I said "you did a fine job. Sam should be in tomorrow and he will take care of it. I know he'll be pleased with how you looked after things while he was gone. I'm just here to speak to some of the waitresses."

"Oh, right" Terry said, a little flushed from the compliment. "Amelia's working today and Holly. That Ginger's supposed to come in for the dinner rush."

I smiled and thanked him again before heading out back to catch up with Amelia. I'd have to call Ginger when I got home.

"Sookie!" she exclaimed as soon as she saw me "what are you doing coming in?" she said, hugging me.

"I was here to get some leads on Sam but it turns out he's back and okay, thank goodness. He should be in tomorrow. Amelia, I can't thank you enough for pulling such long hours here at the bar this week" I said sincerely "and for doing that spell at Sam's trailer" I added.

"So he's not hurt? Do you know what happened?" She asked, interested.

"I don't know the whole story but I'll tell you when I find out" I promised "for now, I'm just glad he's safe."

"Me too" she said, and then looked at me straight in the eye and said "so how are you? Are you okay, Sookie? Is there anything I can do?"

"I'll be fine" I assured her.

"Honest!" I said when she narrowed her eyes.

"Well go on and get out of here then. I'm busy and you're not on the schedule until tomorrow." Amelia said, shooing me away.

"I owe you one" I called out to her over my shoulder as I left.

"More than one" she sang back.

0o0o0o0

When I got back to the house I took my time heading up the driveway. If for some reason Quinn was waiting for me to come home, I was going to consider just turning right back around. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about it because I was all alone at the farmhouse.

The first thing I did when I got inside was to quickly call Alcide and Calvin and thank them for looking for Sam and to tell them he was alright. After promising to explain everything as soon as I could, we said our goodbyes. I decided when things settled down a little I would bake them some pecan pies to show my gratitude.

The next thing on my list was to get in touch with Ginger. I realized I didn't have her number without my cell phone, and I knew she wouldn't be at Fangtasia, so I tried the old-fashioned thing: a phonebook. Sure enough, there it was.

I looked at the clock to make sure it wasn't too early for a call; if she was still keeping vampire hours she might be sleeping in like I liked to do. But then again, since she was working at Merlotte's in a couple of hours I figured it was probably safe.

I dialled her number and let a few rings go through. When she didn't answer I hung up. I found it a bit strange that she wasn't home but for all I knew she was getting groceries at the Grabbit-Kwik. I'd just have to go over to the bar again when her shift started.

My last call, until the sun went down at least, was to Niall. I had memorised his number, which was a good thing because I doubted that Faery would be searchable through 411.

"Sookie Stackhouse for Niall Brigant" I said to the operator automatically.

"Hold please" she intoned indifferently.

"You've arrived safely in Bon Temps, I hear" my great-grandfather's voice sounded through the phone at once.

"I have" I agreed "I was hoping you were free soon for our dinner." I felt like getting right to the point.

"Of course my dear" he said "is tonight too soon?"

"Not at all" I said "will I cook or would you like to go out?" I asked, looking around the kitchen frantically to take inventory. If I was cooking, I'd have to hustle to the store and then clean up the house a little more, change into something more suitable for dinner and actually prepare the meal. It didn't leave me with much time, if any. Especially if I was stopping by Merlotte's to speak to Ginger before her shift.

"That's up to you child. I would, however, prefer privacy for this conversation" he said.

That had pretty much settled it. I agreed to cook dinner and we set it for 7 o'clock. He told me to expect another guest for dessert. I agreed graciously of course but I wasn't entirely sure I could handle another surprise.

TBC

Reviews? Yes please.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: I really love hearing from you guys! Just reading your thoughts, no matter what they are really makes my day! It also reiterates (as far as I'm concerned anyway) just how traumatized we all are by the way CH ended the series. Many of us feel kind of betrayed, and we're scared of being led down that path again.

But don't worry - while there will be a lot of twists and turns, I have NO intention of selling Eric into slavery.

Chapter 35

Eric POV

After I dialled the number for Niall that I found on top of Sookie's things, a very short and curt conversation with the Prince ensued. He informed me that my bonded was fine, if exhausted, and was home in her bed. I had demanded a better explanation and he promptly hung up.

_Fucking fairies _I thought.

More than anything I was relieved to know she was okay, and anxious to return to Shreveport the following day. Until then I would have to plan our next moves and make some decisions on Preston's behalf since he was still incapacitated. Pam hadn't left his side in hours; she sat by him on the bed holding his mouth open while Bill brought in countless donors to help him recover. So far he hadn't stirred.

All the while I spoke to Sheriffs from Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, and Arkansas. I met with members of Preston's retinue, and, I contacted the event planning firm EEE regarding the upcoming political and social engagements which would be required for my impending coronation.

I had tried to contact my staff at Fangtasia but was unable to reach a single individual, human or vampire. If it hadn't been for the fact that I had so much to take care of in Hawaii before my departure, that fact alone would have had me on the next flight back to Shreveport. I recalled having asked Pamela to check in with them earlier.

"Pamela" I said, looking up from my laptop for a second.

"Yes Master" she said immediately, recognizing my tone of voice.

"Did you call Fangtasia?"

"Yes, but no one answered. I called Ginger's cell phone and she told me that Sookie had asked her to close the bar. She was at Merlotte's and couldn't speak long." She replied to my astonishment.

"Why would Sookie tell Ginger to close the bar?" I asked. It made no sense.

"I do not know" Pam said, thoughtful "I assumed you had issued those orders and Sookie merely facilitated it."

"Not only did I do no such thing" Eric said "but I know nothing of this. Were you able to reach Thalia as I requested?"

"No, Master. Thalia rarely answers her cell phone. If she weren't ten times my age I might consider complaining to that effect." Pam said.

"And you didn't think to tell me this sooner?" I asked, beyond frustrated.

"You weren't in the most receptive of moods after we discussed my conversation with Karin" Pam argued "and in case you haven't noticed, we've been up to our eyeballs in bullshit. People not answering their cellphones was hardly of much relevance."

"Fine" I said, dropping the subject for the moment. She was right; there had been more important things to deal with at the time. But to say I was unsettled now, greatly unsettled, was an understatement. I realized we were going to have to run a far tighter operation on all fronts if I was to have a successful kingdom. I also needed to speak with my child Karin with great haste. She would be able to inform me personally on the news of Appius and Alexei, a subject which hadn't stopped weighing on my mind for one second.

And I realized I needed more employees. Immediately.

What troubled me the most was Sookie. _Why would she close the bar?_ _Surely not to send my waitresses to Merlotte's…? _It was maddening and completely unlike her. I was missing something and I despised the feeling.

I couldn't even speak to her now to ask her about it. We had been apart for only a few hours and I already missed her more than I would ever admit aloud. I wanted to know how she had disappeared like that. I wanted to hold her and kiss her and tell her how magnificent she had been with Felipe.

I almost wanted to kill something because she had just left me here, without her warmth, her smile, her scent. I was addicted to my little part-fae telepath. Intoxicated by her.

Sookie, my Sookie. You are mine. You will _be _mine, my Queen.

0o0o0o0

Sookie POV

The rest of the afternoon went by in a flurry of activity. I had finished cleaning the house and then ran to the super Wal-Mart for some groceries. I even stopped in Tara's Togs for a quick visit and to pick up an outfit for the evening. I wanted to look my best for my great-grandfather and it had been awhile since I splurged on myself.

By the time dinner was in the oven (lasagna) and dessert the fridge (strawberry shortcake) I had a small window to pop by Merlotte's and speak to Ginger. I decided to call first rather than waste a trip just in case.

Since Amelia was pulling a double, which I didn't envy in the least, she answered the phone sounding a bit harried.

"Merlotte's Bar & Grill" she said, out-of-breath.

"Amelia its Sookie" I said quickly. I knew she was busy.

"What's wrong Sook? I'm in a bit of a rush here. Ginger didn't show for her shift." She finished, before yelling "be there in a sec!" to one of the customers.

"She didn't?" I asked, worried.

"Is there something you needed honey?" she asked again.

"Um, no, no it's fine." I assured her. See you tonight. I'll save you some dinner." I said.

"Thanks, gotta' go" Amelia said, hanging up.

_Well that was odd_ I thought. Ginger didn't show up to work and didn't answer her phone.

I was getting alarmed by the number of people going missing around me.

Maybe it was that very thought which forced me to reconsider my harsh words to Quinn. Regardless of his methods, Frannie was his sister and she had only been abducted because of me. That made her my responsibility too. I didn't have to forgive Quinn to do the right thing by Frannie.

I decided to call him and tell him I would help. He answered on the first ring.

"I knew you'd come around, babe, I just wasn't expecting it to happen this soon" he said, before I had even gotten the chance to say hello.

"I will help you find your sister" I said, ignoring his comment and cutting to the chase "but not tonight. Tomorrow." I said with finality.

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but why the change of heart?" he asked.

"Look, Quinn, I'm not doing it for you. We will talk about it in the morning." I said, and hung up.

I felt a little better about my decision to help than I had felt about ignoring him. But only a little.

Looking up at the clock I realized it was already 6:30. Niall would be here soon. Since the table was already set and everything was ready to go, I had a few minutes to relax.

Instantly I thought of Eric. The sun wouldn't have gone down yet, not by a longshot, but I wished I could hear his voice. I had tried to send him my love today through the bond but who knows if it had worked. I missed him terribly and it had only been about 18 hours since I'd seen him.

Our time together in Hawaii had changed me, truly changed me, because I could no longer imagine being without him. I had no idea what that meant for us considering his new position. I hoped we would be able to figure it out soon. All the uncertainty between us had only caused problems in the past.

After a moment I decided to call him and leave a message. I knew he would be flying back to Shreveport tonight if things went according to plan, but I at least owed him a few words about last night.

The phone went immediately to voicemail.

"Eric" I started "I'm never sure what to say on these things. I just want you to know that I miss you. I'm sorry if I worried you last night. I hope you're on the way home. I realize there are some things, a lot of things, we need to talk about. I love you" I said. "Be safe" I finished.

It wasn't perfect but it was the best I could do for the time being.

I looked at the clock again: 6:45. Niall would be here soon.

_Why was I so nervous?_

0o0o0o0

The second the clock struck 7 there was a gentle knock at the door. I guess Niall would have considered it impolite to just pop in to my kitchen even though he had been invited.

I smiled at the thought. There was a serious lack of common courtesy in the supe world.

"Come in, great-grandfather" I said, opening the door and stepping aside to let him in.

"Thank you for having me, child" he said, kissing my cheek lightly and handing me some beautiful wildflowers of a kind I had never seen before. They looked delicate but were incredibly vivid in color. Deep blues, rich purples, bright pinks. Scattered amongst them were some even more fragile little flowers in yellow and orange. Niall watched me with as I admired those in particular.

"These are lovely" I said appreciatively "please make yourself comfortable while I go put them in water."

"They are sunstar blooms" he said "native to Faery. They are rare even in my realm."

I wondered if this was the only bouquet of sunstar ever to have been seen on earth. The thought made my head spin a little.

"What would you like to drink?" I called out from the kitchen.

"A small glass of red wine would be most appreciated if you have some. Water will do if not" he replied.

I was glad that I had decided on Italian for supper. I picked up some red wine just this afternoon to complement dinner.

After I put the blooms in Gran's nicest antique vase, I poured us each a glass of wine.

When I returned to the living room, Niall was looking at our old family photos over the fireplace.

"Adele was a true beauty" he said admiringly "as are you."

"Thank you" I said, blushing a little "she was a wonderful woman. I miss her every day."

"She would be most proud of you I'm sure" Niall continued, and then turned away from the photos to look at me "perhaps we ought to sit down and talk before time gets away from us."

I was surprised at the abrupt change of topic but I knew I would be relieved to finally have some answers. The lasagna needed to rest a little anyway so it was a good opportunity to chat. I took a small sip of my wine and sat down.

"I'm sure by now you're wondering why so many changes seem to be taking place so quickly. You are reaching a, shall we say, maturation point. In humans, this occurs at a very young age, which is predominantly due to their incredibly short life spans. In Fae, it takes much longer. Some may go a hundred years before reaching it. That is what makes you such a special case. For one thing, you are a hybrid. That alone made it impossible to determine when, if ever, you would develop fairy traits and abilities." He paused at this to take a sip of wine.

"But my telepathy" I argued "I've had it since childhood."

"Your telepathy is a story for another" he said plainly. I decided not to push him, as much as I wanted to.

_Another what? _I wondered.

"Back to the matter at hand: your maturation. I have several theories as to why you seem to be approaching it so rapidly. For one thing, you are sharing blood with an ancient vampire. This is uncommon for our kind and it has helped awaken some of your latent traits. But more importantly, I think, is your heart. Sookie, my child, you have been involved in more supernatural politics than many have to face in their lifetimes. And yet you remain kind, and pure. You have also become something of an intermediary between species. You may not realize it but that makes you completely unique."

Niall looked at me with pride in his eyes. I had to suppress a tear. You just don't realize how much the support and high opinion of a family member means to you until they are gone. Niall's presence reminded me that I wasn't alone without Gran. I loved my brother, Jason, but it wasn't the same.

"If I may continue a moment longer?" he asked, taking me out of my reverie.

"Of course" I said.

"I'm still not certain what abilities you will possess as you go through the full change. But I think we can count on teleportation. And we've already discussed your longer lifespan" he said thoughtfully "but I think we can expect a lot more. I look forward to being proven correct."

_Teleportation_ I thought, swooning a bit from the overload of information. I had assumed my arrival here was Niall's doing, not my own.

"Thank you for telling me all this" I said "but I need some time to process everything you've said before I can decide how I feel about it" I finished, taking not a sip of wine but an unladylike gulp. Niall chuckled very quietly.

"Dinner smells delicious" he said after I had collected myself a little "perhaps we might go ahead and eat? If you think of anything specific you'd like to ask while we dine…" he trailed off.

I led him to the dining room table and refilled his wine. After dishing out some salad and serving us both our lasagna, I began to relax. A little.

"I do have a couple of questions" I said hesitantly.

"By all means" he said.

"Why me and not Jason? Why did you really send me the dagger? What do you know about vampire politics? Who's coming for dessert?" I blurted before I could stop myself.

"Good lord girl" Niall said "those are more than a couple of questions." He seemed to want to think on his answer a little so I stayed quiet.

"Vampire politics are not something I'm inclined to discuss at the dinner table" he said with distaste "as to who's coming for dessert; he will be here any moment so you'll just have to wait. I believe you already know the answers to the other questions if you really think about them" he finished primly, and then took a bite of salad as though that settled that.

If I was being honest I did know why I had the essential spark and Jason did not. Putting it in very simple terms, he was just not responsible enough. He had a good heart, I thought, _very deep down_ I added to myself a little guiltily, but he would always put himself first.

As for the dagger, I knew Niall had sent it to protect me, but I also figured, based on what I knew now, that it had acted as a kind of trigger for the change. There were many other factors, obviously, but it had helped catapult me forward in my maturation.

I guessed Niall was invested in my becoming a fairy. For what reasons I couldn't say, but I tucked that thought away for further inspection.

By now we had finished dinner, so I busied myself with clearing up the dishes while I waited on my mystery guest.

"We have company" Niall said suddenly.

I went to answer the door right away. I wondered how Niall had known our guest arrived before there had been so much as a quick knock. I hadn't even detected another brain signature.

When I opened the front door I was pleasantly surprised to find Desmond Cataliades waiting on the porch. I gestured for him to come in. He was smiling widely.

_Why all the mystery?_ I wondered.

Faeries did love their intrigue, but honestly Niall could have just said it was Mr. Cataliades and saved me the anxiety.

"Welcome Mr. Cataliades" I said politely "please make yourself at home. My great-grandfather and I were about to have some dessert."

"It is a pleasure to see you Miss Stackhouse" he said genuinely "dessert sounds lovely."

I showed him to the dining room where Niall sat, waiting for us.

"Desmond" he said, informally "I'm glad you could make it."

Mr. Cataliades nodded and joined him at the table.

"It was no trouble at all. I've been looking forward to an opportunity to speak with Miss Stackhouse for some time now" he said.

I found myself mighty curious about why that would be, but I figured all in due time.

"Please, eat" I said to both men.

Cataliades dug in without a second thought, at which Niall didn't even attempt to hide his laughter.

"Demons" he said, taking a tiny, prim, bite.

Cataliades feigned being offended.

I found the entire situation to be too bizarre for words.

Luckily for me, at that exact moment the phone rang. I excused myself to go and answer it. Normally I wouldn't dream of answering the phone during dinner, especially not when I had company, but with everything that was going on I couldn't be sure it wasn't an emergency. Furthermore, the sun had set an hour ago. I found myself longing deeply for Eric's voice.

"Lover" Eric purred the moment I answered "I enjoyed your message. I would have enjoyed it more in person."

"I know, Eric, I'm sorry about disappearing like that" I said. I knew it was inadequate but hey, it's not like I had planned to teleport several thousand miles in the blink of an eye.

"It's okay, dear one. I'm just relieved that you are well. I find myself thinking about you" he paused for a moment "above all other things. I am leaving Hawaii tonight. The length of the flight being what it is, and the sunrise…I cannot guarantee that I will be able to see you before I go to rest."

I had figured that, but I still hoped we would see each other, if only for a moment.

"I understand Eric. I will be here waiting for you if you can make it. If not, I will be at your house when you rise tomorrow. I have so much to tell you-

"Shhh, Sookie, not over the phone. Give the Prince my _best_" he said, somewhat sarcastically.

"How do you know he's here?" I asked, shocked.

"I sent Bubba to watch over you tonight" he said "he just arrived out back a few moments ago."

"Oh, well, thanks."

_More surprise company_ I thought.

"See you soon, Eric."

"Not if I see you first" he said, and I could hear the grin in his voice before he hung up.

On my way back to the dining room, I looked out to back window and saw Bubba standing in the yard. I waved and he waved back happily. After Niall and Cataliades left I would go out and say hello.

I decided now would also be a good moment to scan for any other brain signatures. I was kicking myself for not having done it sooner. I was only able to sense one void where Bubba stood. Niall's signature and Cataliades' were distinctly different.

I let the fact that I currently had a vampire, a fairy, and a demon on my property fully sink in before I returned to the table. It almost sounded like a joke.

_A fairy, a vampire, and a demon all walk into a bar…_

Both Niall and Cataliades stood when I entered the room. I thought that was sweet.

"Apologies for excusing myself like that" I said "what did I miss?"

"Actually, child, I was just leaving" Niall said as he approached me for a hug. "Thank you so much for our lovely dinner. I look forward to doing it again soon" he finished as he held me tightly. I felt peacefulness and tranquility wash over me in gentle waves. He was so warm, he felt like sunlight itself.

"Oh, okay" I said, surprised "thank you for coming. Let me see you out."

"That won't be necessary" Niall countered "arriving is one thing, but departing?"

I wasn't sure what he meant until he disappeared right in front of my eyes, leaving me hugging a whole lot of nothing.

"Fairies have a thing for dramatics" Cataliades said with a smile "Demons are much more sensible."

At that moment, I couldn't keep it in any longer and burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. Perhaps I was coming unhinged.

Cataliades seemed unperturbed by my outburst.

"You are overwhelmed" he said "I don't blame you. I would suggest returning at a later date for our visit but my schedule is unpredictable. As I have some answers I believe you to be looking for, I feel I ought to stay. I won't take up too much of your time." He said formally.

"I'm happy for you to stay" I said sincerely. "Please, tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

As he started to explain his visit, I found myself needing to sit down.

And that was how I learned the origin of my telepathy.

TBC

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	36. Chapter 36

A/N: This will be my last chapter until Wednesday (the 22nd) since I'm going out of town for a mini-vacation with my husband. I hope you all like it.

Chapter 36

Eric POV

Our plane was departing for Shreveport in an hour and Preston still hadn't stirred, regardless of all the blood we had been feeding him virtually non-stop since the night before. We had even gone to our rest together, Pam, Preston, and I, to ensure that no one dared try anything to the King while he was so vulnerable. Bill had offered to join us and I flat out refused. Until I figured out what he was up to I would keep him at arm's length. He was more valuable to me alive, for now, and that was truly the only thing keeping me from ripping his pitiful head off for annoying me so much.

Even so, it had been strange going to ground with my child Pamela for the first time in recent memory, made even stranger by the fact we had chosen a hidden location off the hotel grounds rather than our rooms as an added precaution.

I would have much preferred the company of my bonded. Watching her breathe while she slept was a very surprising pleasure of mine. Her lips parted, her long blond hair splayed on the pillow, her luscious breasts under the sheer sheets…it was too much to think about right now. I hadn't bedded her or fed from her in too long. The thought of her blood rushing to my fangs as I pierced the soft skin of her neck made me wild with wanting. I needed to go to her immediately when we landed or I might kill something to satisfy at least _one_ of my lusts.

_If Compton so much as looks at me in a manner I don't like_ I thought, it might end up being him.

At that, I looked over at him to see him bringing in yet another donor for Preston. I decided the time for simply hoping he would recover was over.

"Compton" I said "contact Preston's personal guard and inform them that they are to take the next plane to Shreveport. Have them bring his belongings with them."

He nodded and dialed a number on his phone.

_Good _I thought _some fucking compliance._

"Master" Pam said, surprised "do you intend to bring Preston back to Louisiana?"

"He comes with us" I said "inform Anubis at once."

"Thank you" Pam replied "how will we hide his, condition?"

"I will glamour any human who comes into contact with him" I said "secure his spot on the flight. Now."

Satisfied that my orders were being carried out, I decided to make a few phone calls. One was to Bubba; the next would be to Sookie. Her message had reassured me that she was okay but I wanted more.

"King Eric?" Bubba said.

"I need to you go to Bon Temps to keep an eye on the Stackhouse residence." I said.

"I surely like Miss Sookie" he replied.

"So you'll go?" I asked. Normally I wouldn't ask as much as command but you had to use kid gloves with Bubba. He could be a liability at times but I still trusted him to be able to keep an eye on Sookie. At least for tonight anyway, while she was under no immediate threat that I was aware of.

"Yes Sir I will" he said, his accent coloring every syllable. I found it charming in spite of myself.

"Report back as soon as you arrive" I said "thank you Bubba" I added and hung up.

I figured I'd wait to hear from him before calling my lover. I liked the thought of knowing what was going on in her house before she had the opportunity to tell me herself. It usually irritated her a little and amused _me_ greatly; a winning combination in any estimation.

Forty-five minutes passed during which some of Preston's affairs were hastily settled by Pam and Bill while the four of us were shuttled to the nearby private airport. I found myself anxious to hear from Bubba. Our plane was leaving in fifteen minutes and I wanted to speak to Sookie before we took off.

Finally, he called to inform me that Sookie had some company. Both Niall Brigant and Desmond Cataliades were presently dining with her.

_I should be there_ I thought bitterly. _She's me bonded and she will be my Queen. Any pertinent information or negotiations the sneaking fairy Prince was undoubtedly making with her needed to include me._

I decided that Niall would be hearing from me again very soon. I also wondered what Cataliades could possibly be doing there. The demon was about as high up as lawyers went in Louisiana these days. I knew he and Sookie were friendly acquaintances, especially after Rhodes, but I was very curious what he was doing at her house.

After speaking with her briefly I was satisfied that she was as anxious to see me as I her. I imagined that after spending time with Niall her heightened Fae scent was going to be overwhelmingly intoxicating to me. I couldn't stop the erection I immediately got just thinking about it.

I balled my hands into fists in frustration, and turned my thoughts to the present.

Our private plane was waiting for us and three beautiful flight attendants stood at the bottom of the aircraft stairs. Pam's fangs ran down immediately. She hadn't fed properly tonight because she had been more concerned with Preston. I figured she was in for a satisfying flight. Bill seemed completely uninterested. In fact he was looking a little sallow. I filed that small revelation away for later.

I could care less about their bodies _or t_heir blood.

By now Preston had been placed gently into an extremely extravagant and over-the-top coffin and was loaded on to the plane first. We all followed directly afterwards.

Sitting down on the leather sofa, I wished my fairy were here to tease me as she had on the way over. It had been excruciating and yet had excited me immensely.

I somehow didn't think Compton's conversation would prove as stimulating.

0o0o0o0

Sookie POV

After Mr. Cataliades left, I desperately wanted to be alone to process everything I had learned. Unfortunately, Amelia would be home from her shift any minute and Bubba was standing in the middle of my backyard. I doubted watching over me was at the top of his list of favorite ways to spend an evening so I figured I owed it to him to keep him company for a while.

I knew Amelia would be expecting a recap of my trip to Hawaii as well, and after everything she had done for me lately it was the least I could do.

I had no choice but to put on my big girl pants and temporarily shelf my weariness.

"Good evening, Bubba" I said, stepping out onto the back porch to the evening air.

"Evenin' Miss Sookie" he replied, every bit the gentleman.

It was times like this when I felt like my life was stranger than fiction. Vampire Elvis was keeping watch over my house.

"Can I warm you up a True Blood?" I asked.

"No thanks, ma'am" he said "I'm full as can be."

I hoped the neighbors' cats were all indoors tonight.

"Well, would you like to sit down? There's no need of standing over there all by yourself" I said, gesturing to the old chairs on the porch.

"That's mighty kind" he said "but King Eric wants me to keep an eye out. Better if I'm standin'."

"If you're sure" I said "how are you, Bubba?"

"Vampire Bill lets me stay at his place whenever I want. I like it there. I like listenin' to all the crickets. Nighttime music." he said.

I smiled at that, unsure what to say. Music was a difficult subject for Bubba. If he was in the mood to talk about it then I was certainly going to listen.

"I'm glad you're doing so well" I said, after I was sure there were no signs of him continuing his train of thought.

"Thank you Miss Sookie" he said, inclining his head a touch. "Vampire Bill talks about you a lot. He says you and King Eric are gettin' on real well."

I wasn't sure if that was a question. I could tell, however, that neither Bill nor Bubba seemed to think the fact was altogether decent. I decided to nip that right in the bud.

"It's nice you and Bill are friends" I said "did he tell you that Eric and I are bonded now? We love one another very much, you see."

Bubba seemed shocked.

After contemplating what I told him for a real long while, he finally said: "lovin' someone is a precious thing. You hang onto it."

Then he turned his head towards the road for a moment.

"A car is comin' this way" he said in warning.

"It's probably just my roommate Amelia" I replied, searching for her identifiably loud-broadcasting self.

Sure enough, her head was practically shouting thoughts through a megaphone. I clamped down my shields.

"It is" I reassured Bubba "I should go inside and say hello."

Bubba nodded and retreated to nearer the treeline.

As odd conversations went, that one was up there.

0o0o0o0

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. Amelia and I had shared some leftover dessert while we caught each other up on everything that had happened while I was gone. She told me that things with Tray were progressing nicely and that Merlotte's had been really strange without Sam and me. I told her about _almost e_verything that had happened in Hawaii.

I trusted Amelia, but I still had boundaries and there were things I was just not comfortable talking about. I still hadn't processed half of what I'd been through.

After a while we each said our goodnights and went to bed. By now it was really late and I desperately needed sleep.

If I was honest, though, all I wanted to do was lay naked in Eric's arms. I found myself missing him with a hunger that almost frightened me. I wanted his lips on me. I wanted his hands all over me. I wanted every inch of him.

As I thought this I was hit with such a sudden wave of lust that I knew Eric was feeling my arousal through the bond. We had been bouncing our need for one another back and forth and amplifying it in the process. It was torture. I decided that I needed some air, so I got up to open the window. I wasn't sure if Eric would arrive in Louisiana with time enough to see me before dawn but somehow I felt like he would. I leaned on the windowsill gently and tried to distract myself by listening to the crickets and the wind. Nighttime music, as Bubba had put it. It was kind of lovely, in a way. I looked around for him and couldn't see him anywhere but I could sense his void nearby. I was glad he was out of sight. It would have been mildly creepy otherwise.

I noticed the air tonight was warm and humid. My skimpy nightgown clung to my skin and my desire for Eric only continued to escalate as the moments ticked slowly by, making me almost feverish. I began to pace.

I then felt something like anticipation.

_Had he landed?_ I wondered, looking at the clock. It was 5am and the sun would be up before 7. I didn't know what time his flight had left. I continued to pace.

_This is ridiculous _I thought to myself _just go to sleep and see him tomorrow._

But I knew I couldn't. I was so charged with our sexual energy through the bond that I felt like I had drunk an entire pot of coffee with aphrodisiac for creamer. I was all nerves, all excitement, all need. And so was Eric. He was close and getting closer. I could feel him.

With a gentle whoosh of wind I was suddenly standing naked in my bedroom and Eric was holding my hands together behind my back, kissing my neck and chest. With his free hand he ran his fingers through my hair and then lifted my chin to meet his mouth, kissing me roughly.

Not a word was spoken as he rid himself of his shoes, his socks, his belt and his pants. He let go of my arms and I pulled open the buttons of his shirt. Standing right in the middle of my room he lifted me up and lowered me onto his huge, rock hard erection. His hands on my hips, he lifted me up and down, up and down, up and down, as I bit his neck, his cheek, his shoulder. Pulling my hair gently he tilted my head to the side and plunged his fangs into my neck. Panting and moaning with the heat of the Louisiana night and our incredible desire for one another, we made love as though we were starving. Eric whispering in rapid-fire Swedish, me alternating between unintelligible swearing and breathless moans. Up and down, up and down he lifted me and pushed me back down over his slick and engorged cock. My whole body was tightening and tingling and electric.

As his tongue lapped up a last drop of blood from my neck, he erupted hotly inside me as I came undone in thundering shocks.

"Miss me, lover?" he said.

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Sorry this one's really short and was overdue by a day or two; my muse was being difficult. I'm already working on Chapter 38 and it promises to be longer and hopefully post-worthy by late Monday. In the meantime, Happy Weekend!

Chapter 37

Sookie POV

"Miss me, lover?" he said.

"I think you know I did" I replied while trying to catch my breath.

Eric's grin was smugger than smug as he put his clothes back on.

"You should miss me more often" he said "do you perhaps miss me right now?" he added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"The sun will be up soon. You have to go." I replied sadly, wishing I had vampire-safe windows so we could sleep next to each other.

"I will rest at Bill's…whatever you call that decrepit pit he sleeps in." Eric said.

"Is the big bad Viking afraid of a few spiders?" I asked with a tired laugh.

At this he picked me up in a flurry and dropped me on the bed in mock seriousness.

"I am afraid of nothing" he said, pinning my hands over my head and tickling me a little roughly "but you, little lamb, ought to be more afraid of this big bad Viking."

"Never" I said, staring him straight in the eye "I am a fairy shield maiden and I fear no man" I challenged in a very theatrical way.

I was definitely overtired.

A low seductive growl escaped Eric's lips.

"Say that to me again, woman" Eric said, holding his body less than an inch above mine, his hips straining against me "and we will find out if that's true."

"You really have to go" I said, lifting up my head to kiss his cheek and then closing my eyes in exhaustion. "We both need our rest."

"You're right" he said, floating up suddenly and heading for the door in a blur "but we have much to discuss when I rise. And _this _conversation" he threatened with a playful gleam in his eye "isn't nearly over."

"Goodnight Eric" I said, already half asleep.

"Goodnight, dear one" he said, before he ghosted a kiss over my lips was gone.

0o0o0o0

I woke up feeling extremely disoriented. Glancing at the clock on my nightstand I understood why: it was after 3pm. I had basically slept the entire day away and I had so many things to take care of it was almost ridiculous.

Getting up to take care of my human needs, as the vampires called it, I quickly ran through a mental tally of my more pressing concerns.

I had promised Quinn I would help him find Frannie and I decided that was a pretty immediate issue.

I also still hadn't gotten a hold of Ginger. As Eric was now back in Louisiana that was probably more his problem than mine, but still I felt at least partially responsible for finding out if she was okay. Furthermore the vampire who had showed up at Eric's bar was undoubtedly going to be a problem for everyone.

Then there was Bill and whatever was going on with him.

I figured there would also be a search for the witch from Felipe's now defunct retinue, the one who was responsible for casting a spell on Preston that had almost cost me everything.

Not to mention the revelations from the previous nights' conversations with both Niall and Cataliades that left me with almost as many questions as answers.

And I hadn't even had a cup of coffee yet. I briefly pondered turning around and going right back to bed but knew I was stronger than that.

It was time to face the day.

When I got downstairs I noticed the light was blinking on my answering machine. I simply couldn't take listening to whatever problem it was going to be before making a pot of coffee and cooking breakfast, er…lunch.

Once I had made a hearty sandwich and poured a strong cup of coffee, I hit play and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Sookie it's Sam. You were supposed to come in today for the lunch shift? But don't worry I've got it covered. With everything you've been through I guess you could use a few more days? I went ahead and took you off the schedule. If you could give me a call when you get this I'd appreciate it."

_Oh crap _I thought _I can't believe I missed my first shift back after a vacation. Not that it had been particularly relaxing._

Then I realizedAmelia had been covering for me while I was gone and had probably gotten called in again when I didn't show up. She was truly being a great friend and I owed her big time. I would have to think up a special way to thank her.

_Just as soon I as had a free minute to catch up on things that weren't life and death._

0o0o0o0

Eric POV

When I rose for the night I felt my makers' presence. He was near to me, nearer than he had been in centuries, and had opened the bond a fractional amount so that I would be aware of him.

_Ocella was in Bon Temps?_

It could only mean one thing; he had an interest in Sookie. Or at least, he was curious about my interest in her. His tastes ran more to young men than they ever had to women.

_And was his childe Alexei with him? _I wondered.

I was sure I would be finding out imminently.

I looked to my left to find Bill and Bubba still dead to the world. My age granted me the ability to rise earlier than the young vampires beside me, and it was an advantage I never took for granted. I realized that if Ocella had brought Alexei to Louisiana, the Romanov boy would still be in his rest.

_But Ocella?_ I wouldn't be surprised if he had woken an hour ago.

_Where were they? Had they gone to ground nearby? _

Appius hated sleeping in the dirt but I knew he would do it if he thought it would unnerve me to have him so close so unexpectedly.

I thought I should text Pam. She had left the airport with Preston and taken him to one of her safe houses. She needed to be aware that her grandsire was here, and to take extra precaution when she rose.

Next was a message to Thalia. She had undoubtedly risen as well.

_I am displeased that you are unreachable. We need to talk. _

As soon as I hit send, my phone vibrated in my hand. It was Thalia.

T: You should be displeased, though not with your underling.

_Who is this?_ I typed back immediately.

T: It is I, Appius Livius Ocella. Or have you forgotten your Maker so easily?

_I could never forget. I sense you even now. Thalia is unharmed?_

T: You sense me because I allow it. She is an untrained dog, Thalia, but she is alive. Your useless bloodbag waitress is not.

I couldn't say with any sincerity that I cared about Ginger, but she was a part of my staff and under my protection. _Was under my protection _I thought. I was seething.

But what did he want with Thalia? And how had she been taken? She was near enough Ocella's age that it would have been an incredibly difficult task even for him.

_What do you want_? Was all I wrote in response.

T: Patience, child. Or should I say King? Meet me in the woods behind your telepath's house in an hour. Alone. Do not bother contacting Karin or Pam.

I didn't reply. He knew I would be there.


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: The main reason for the three year gap between chapters 29-30 was because I was working on an original novel, _Superstition_ (it's the first book in a trilogy about witches!). After lots of writing, edits, queries, and talking to agents and publishers over a long period of time, it now seems like it will be published! More details to follow if you are interested.

Anyway that's why I didn't get this chapter out a few days sooner as well. It's been a crazy week. I hope you enjoy it and have a great weekend.

Chapter 38

Eric POV

My maker would be meeting me in the woods behind Sookie's farmhouse in under an hour. I wondered if that was because he couldn't enter the wards surrounding her property that the witch Amelia had recently put in place. If that were true, Amelia had risen much higher in my regard.

I silently prayed to Odin that my bonded was safe and well. I had seen her before the dawn, but any number of things could have taken place between then and now. Surely Ocella would have taken the necessary measures to ensure that I'd comply with whatever it is he needed from me.

I didn't want Sookie involved, but I knew I couldn't leave her completely in the dark. I wouldn't be able to call or text her, however, as I still had her cellphone in my jeans' pocket. In my haste to be with her and taste her I had forgotten to leave it on the nightstand as I had planned.

I quickly tried the landline. She didn't answer and eventually the machine kicked in. I left a brief message asking her to call me immediately.

That done, I still had forty minutes to wait until our meeting and thirty before the sun was completely down and I could leave Bill's. He and Bubba were still at rest.

I thought about what I could do next. I had already alerted Pam about being careful when she rose. I couldn't contact Thalia, Karin was likely still en route to Shreveport and Ocella had warned me against involving her. But I needed some kind of leverage.

_I'm a fucking King, dammit!_ I thought in frustration as I punched a hole right through the cement wall of Bill's dusty tomb of a house. _No one fucks with me. Ocella might be my maker but his power over me ends now. It's time to become who I was born a vampire to be._

_But who was strong enough to stand by my side_ _tonight_? I wondered _With Thalia captured and Pam watching over Preston?_

And then I knew exactly what I needed to do.

0o0o0o0

Sookie POV

5 Hours Earlier

I quickly returned Sam's call and apologized profusely for missing my shift. He assured me it was no problem and told me to be safe before hanging up the phone.

_Be safe_ I thought _the supe way of saying goodbye._

I thought then about what a wonderful thing it was to have friends, supernatural or otherwise. Sam, Amelia, Tara, even Pam…things could be difficult at times with each and every one of them but I knew in my heart they would always have my back. After a lifetime of hearing people's thoughts and therefore not being capable of friendship, it was almost staggering to me to have not just one but four friends I could trust.

But now it was time to call someone I _didn't_ consider to be a friend anymore: Quinn. I gave him my word, albeit reluctantly, that I would help him find Frannie. Since she was indirectly taken because of me, my conscience wouldn't allow me to turn my back on her.

I dialled his number and he picked up on the first ring.

"Babe, I'm so glad you called" he said.

I found it incredible that he still thought he could use pet names with me.

"Stop that Quinn" I said in exasperation "just tell me everything you know about Frannie, De Castro's original orders regarding Sam, and me, and any leads you might have as to her whereabouts. That way I can get started on finding her."

"Don't be like that, I was just-

I cut him off.

"I mean it. This isn't a social call and frankly, you should have better sense. Start talking now or I'm hanging up."

"You've changed" he said, sighing "but okay, here's what I know. Word was that De Castro had designs on you since you saved him in the Merlotte's parking lot. It drove him crazy that Northman, a mere Sheriff at the time, had you. When word got out that you two had gone to Hawaii, and that Felipe wasn't informed of your visit to another kingdom, he saw it as an opportunity to swoop in and make allegations that it was an unauthorized and therefore formal political trip. Since Hawaii has always been regarded as weakly protected, this was a two-birds-one-stone kind of thing for Felipe. Get you and take over another kingdom in the process."

"I already knew all that" I said. I thought it was strange that Quinn was wasting time when his sister was missing.

"I'm sure you did" he replied "I just want to lay out the whole scenario. Anyway, Felipe knew you wouldn't go to him willingly, even with Northman out of the picture. But he also knew of your loyalty, and figured that with Sam as leverage, if he killed Eric you would go to him for Sam's sake. When he figured that out he knew he needed someone stronger than Sam, in this case me, to take him by surprise and abduct him. What he didn't count on was my unwillingness to help." Quinn said.

"But you did help him, Quinn" I said, pointing out the obvious "and you are definitely _not _stronger than Sam."

In my world, the lion is King of the jungle not the tiger. I would have said so aloud but didn't want to sound petulant.

"I didn't want to help him, Sookie. You have to believe me. When I told Felipe in no uncertain terms that I had no quarrel with the shifter, he told me someone in his retinue had already taken Frannie to ensure my cooperation. And for the record, I_ am_ stronger than Merlotte. Otherwise how could I have captured him?" He said, a little smugly.

"Because he trusted you is how" I argued "but again, Quinn, I already knew all this."

"Well then here's something you don't know about" he started "Bill was the one who organized Frannie's abduction."

You could have knocked me over with feather.

"That's impossible. Bill arrived in Hawaii the same night we did."

"So what? Does Bill not have a cell phone? Does he not know how to use a computer? Bill designed that vampire database, Sookie. He knows a lot of important people, and a lot of vampires willing to do just about anything in service of a King as powerful as Felipe was." Quinn stated.

"It just doesn't make sense" I said, thinking back to my interactions with Bill in Hawaii "besides, how could you possibly know Bill was involved?"

"I wasn't going to simply take Felipe's word for it. For my help, I demanded the information I would need to ensure my sister's safe return after the job was done. De Castro pointed me in Bill's direction. After Felipe was killed and I let Sam go, I tried contacting Bill but he hasn't answered or returned any of my calls. I would have gone to his house but he just got back to Louisiana this morning. That's where you come in, Sookie. He will listen to you. You're my only chance of getting Frannie back." He pleaded.

"Wait a minute, so Bill's like what, a double agent? Actually, by my count he's a quadruple agent. Excuse my language but what the fuck?!" I said angrily.

"Babe, I think Bill's only loyalty is to himself. His only motivation is you." Quinn said, and I knew he was right.

Bill would say anything, pledge anything, and work for anyone if it meant the outcome was winning me back.

"Alright, but what makes you think he'll tell me anything?" I asked "if I know Bill, he will deny any involvement in this. He knows how I feel about traitors. He couldn't have thought that helping Felipe would ever gain him my affection."

"Of course he didn't think that. He didn't expect you to find out. By playing both sides against the middle at every turn, I assume he intended to take out both Eric and Felipe in one. Sam was just a bonus. Distracting me, even, would have been beneficial to him. Think Sookie, was Bill acting differently in Hawaii? Did he do anything unusual?"

He had, and on more than one occasion. But I didn't want to believe it. Bill was my friend, and for all of his sins against me I always thought that deep down he had good intentions. _Had I been wrong all along? _I wondered. It certainly wouldn't be the first time. But then, how could I trust my own judgment at all from now on?

"You still there" Quinn asked, startling me out of my reverie.

"Yeah I'm here" I said quietly, painfully.

"You'll talk to him then?"

"I will" I said "but look, Quinn, I have to go. I'll call you as soon as I know what's going on." I finished.

"Be safe" he replied, echoing Sam's earlier sentiment "and Sookie?" he said "I never wanted to hurt you. And who knows? Maybe in Bill's mind he was doing what he thought was best for you. Either way, I think there's more to the story. If I know vampires, he'll have made other arrangements in case his original plans failed. You should be prepared for that." Quinn said ominously, and hung up.

_Well that's just great_ I thought.

And then I remembered that Eric had gone to ground at Bill's.

_Even better_ I added sarcastically to myself.

And about the mysterious vampire who had conveniently showed up at Fangtasia the moment Eric was gone.

_Fuck_ was all I could think of to, well, think.

It looked like Quinn was absolutely right: Bill had been involved in all of it, since the beginning. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if he was even responsible for telling Felipe we had gone to Hawaii in the first place.

If I was going to Bill's at sundown, I would need reinforcements.

0o0o0o0

Four hours later (2 hours to sunset, 1 hour until Eric rises)

After my call with Quinn, I had needed to sit down and think. I knew I had to make a plan and find some help.

Eventually I decided I just couldn't ask any more of Sam and Amelia than I already had.

I owed both Calvin and Alcide a favor for their help in looking for Sam while I was away and didn't feel quite right about involving them further in vampire business.

I loved my brother, Jason, but he would be next to useless in a situation like this.

Pam was busy looking after Preston.

That left the fairies.

I then called Niall and his operator, as usual, put him through with total indifference. He answered right away.

"My child" he said grandly "I wasn't expecting to hear from you again so soon!"

I wasn't sure if he was glad to hear from me or simply worried that my asking for favors was going to become a regular thing. I got right to the point and explained the situation to him.

"That is grave indeed" he said "that the young vampire would go to such lengths for your affections. But do you suppose he's an actual threat to you physically? What assistance could I offer? I will gladly end him if that's your wish."

"Eric is resting at Bill's house as we speak" I said "and I think there's something else going on that I don't totally understand yet."

"That is always the case with those awful bloodsuckers." Niall said, and I could almost hear him nodding his head in agreement with his own statement over the phone "and we all want Eric's coronation to go ahead as planned without further delay."

"Who is _we_?" I asked, confused.

"Never mind dear" he added hastily "I need to make some calls right away. I will send Claude and Claudine to your house for the time being."

"Won't they be in danger around the vampires?" I asked.

"I'll cloak their essence temporarily myself" he said, a little proudly "now I must go."

"Uh, well, thanks" I said in reply, but realized he had already hung up.

Less than a minute later, two fairies popped into my kitchen.

Claude looked as though he'd have been happier with his face stapled to the carpet than here in my house. Claudine, on the other hand, looked positively gleeful.

We still had over an hour and a half until sunset. I couldn't really think of anything to say, so I asked them if they wanted something to eat.

"I'd rather a drink, a strong one if you don't mind" Claude said hopefully.

"Gin and tonic okay?" I asked them, glad to have a small task to do while I thought over the series of events which led to me sitting here with my fairy cousins waiting to accuse my ex-boyfriend and first love of being a criminal mastermind.

"No lemon!" they said in unison.

"Got it" I called back.

I thought I might make mine a double.

0o0o0o0

Eric POV

Half an hour to sunset

Ocella was over two thousand years old. That made him one of the oldest, arguably _the _oldest vampire presently in North America. That meant that there were few allies with sufficient strength and power to help.

Fewer still who were in close enough proximity to arrive in time to assist me.

For this, I was willing to swallow my pride and call the fucking fairy. Niall. Not only was he powerful in his own right, but he had friends on the council. They would be able to grant me the ability to circumvent the Maker's command. It was an old magic, but it existed for use in extreme cases.

Normally, being a King would provide me with that power on my own. But as I hadn't been officially crowned yet, I was legally entitled to go against my maker's wishes but not magically capable.

While Appius Livius Ocella lived, he still had power over me. For now.

I dialed Niall's number and was put through immediately.

"Northman" Niall said, sounding mildly amused "what do you want?"

I gritted my teeth. It wasn't in my nature to ask for favors. It was in my nature to command others to do my bidding: first as a Viking, then as a Maker, then as a Sheriff, soon – as a King.

"I need your help, Prince" I said, spitting the word "your great-grandchild, and I, are likely in terrible danger."

_I knew I would never live this down_.

"Calm yourself" he said "I have spoken to Sookie already. I sent my kin to guard her."

"Wait, guard her from whom?" I asked, surprised. Sookie knew nothing of my maker's sudden appearance.

"Your underling, Bill, of course" he said as though I were foolish.

"Bill is less than irrelevant" I said, irritated and not a little confused "Ocella waits on the border to the woods on Sookie's property. I have only an inkling of why that might be. Whatever it is, you can be sure it isn't good." I said darkly.

"You mean to tell me that Appius Ocella is in Louisiana? Already?" Niall said quietly.

"And he has Thalia" I added significantly "do you grasp the scope of my concern _now_ Fairy?"

"Perhaps more than you do" he said "I have heard whisperings from a colleague of an uncontrollable young vampire. A Romanov, I believe. And I've also heard of a certain vampire Queen's desire to move up in the vampire hierarchy. We won't allow that to happen. But I can't help but feel it's all connected somehow…"

He trailed off and suddenly coughed a little.

_What did he mean 'already'? And who's we? _I wondered.

"This is serious, Northman. I will not have my great-granddaughter hurt in any way." Niall said.

"I would see Sookie become Queen" I said seriously "and never see her hurt."

"She is already royalty without any help from you, vampire" Niall pointed out.

"Even so" I added.

Suddenly I heard Bill shift a little. He was awake. I wondered for how long. I had felt Pam wake a little while ago, and had also felt her resolve strengthen after undoubtedly receiving my message.

"I will be there" Niall said after a short pause.

"You can't be seen" I said, as quietly as possible, and flipped the phone shut.

"I know you're awake, Compton" I finally said to Bill.

"What's your point?" he said "I don't recall inviting you to rest here, your Majesty."

"The invitation was implied since I'm your fucking King" I said, and then reached over and punched him in the jaw. I heard it crack loudly with great satisfaction. It would heal in a matter of minutes but it was fun regardless.

He didn't comment.

A moment later Bubba stirred as well and woke up.

"King Eric" he said "Miss Sookie said you are bonded to her." He looked genuinely surprised. I wondered what Bill had been telling him if not that.

"That's right Bubba" I agreed.

Bill was scowling openly.

"She's a fine woman" Bubba said.

I chuckled in response.

By now I could feel the sun making its final descent in the sky. In the minute fraction of our maker-childe bond that Ocella had opened between us, I felt his sick anticipation roll over me in waves.

"I must go" I said, opening the hatch to Bill's house. "You two are to stay here and not leave this house until I say otherwise." I commanded, leaving no room for argument.

"Yes sir, King Eric" Bubba said automatically.

"Why should we do that?" Bill asked belligerently.

I could have given him a reason. I could have given him 206 reasons, one for every bone in his body. Instead I said: "shut the fuck up Compton" and slammed the hatch shut behind me.

It was time to meet my maker.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Sookie POV

I ended up getting more than a little tipsy with my two fairy cousins, Claude and Claudine, while waiting for the sun to go down. Earlier in the day Quinn had told me about how Bill organized his sister Frannie's abduction, and along with everything else he had done I was having a hard time wrapping my brain around what kind of person Bill really was.

_Do you ever really know another person?_ I wondered.

If the answer was no, how can you truly love someone? There wasn't a simple answer to that question. I did know that I loved Eric, and in a far more honest way than I had ever loved Bill. Yet Eric had lived for over a thousand years. I hadn't even learned about the smallest fraction of the events that had shaped his life, or the decisions he had made over the centuries that had made him, him.

So rather than think on it too much, I got a bit drunk. It was probably not the most responsible plan since I had to speak to Bill this evening, and since Eric and I had a lot to catch each other up on as well. But it cheered me up a little and made spending a few hours with Claude much more tolerable.

About an hour prior to sunset, I felt Eric stir in the bond and awaken. Since strengthening our tie to each other in Hawaii, I was learning how to decipher his complex range of emotions. It was a difficult task since he had a tendency to mute his feelings in some cases and amplify them in others. It often seemed as though everything he thought or felt was uncommonly layered. Perhaps it was from the constant need to strategize and examine all possible outcomes. Love was often mingled with caution, for example, and fear was often coupled with anticipation. It gave me a deeper perspective on who he was but simultaneously made him a mystery to me.

_If you could ever hope to define Eric Northman_, I thought, it would be by calling him a contradiction. He was a sort of gorgeous, fierce, contradiction. And knowing he was awake and nearby comforted me. Even if it meant he was at Bill's.

Suddenly I felt a spike in his emotions; Eric was…alarmed by something? I immediately tried to call his cell from the landline but it rang once and went straight to voicemail.

_He must already be on the phone_ I thought. I didn't bother to leave a message since I knew he would likely call me back shortly and if not I'd be seeing him in an hour.

_And really_ I thought _what can go wrong in less than an hour when most other vamps were still resting anyhow?_

At that, I decided it was time to run upstairs and freshen up before sundown. I had already showered earlier but thought a second one might help me clear my head a little from the fog of multiple gin and tonics and over-analysing.

"I'm going to take a shower and get ready" I said to Claudine, who had been watching me mutely with a slightly worried expression for the last few minutes. Claude had been sipping his drinks and pointedly ignoring me for over an hour while reading a gossip magazine.

"Of course cousin" she said amiably "is there anything we can do down here to help you out while we wait?" Claude glared at his sister. He was _so_ not in the business of helping people out.

"Not really" I said, and then realized there was one thing. "Actually" I said "can you answer the phone if it rings? I'm expecting a call from Eric."

"If tall, blond, and dead calls I will come get you right away" she said with a small smile. I could tell she wasn't totally on board with my choice of lovers but at least she was polite enough not to say so outright.

I gave her a quick hug and went upstairs.

0o0o0o0

Forty five minutes later, I was dressed and ready to go. But when I made it back downstairs, Claude and Claudine were gone. I had planned to leave for Bill's in a few minutes and now I wondered if it would be foolish to go alone.

_Where are they?_ I wondered. Walking out to the living room I looked around but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. _That's strange_ I thought _they came here to help me and then leave before getting the chance?_

It didn't make sense.

_Bill would never hurt me anyway _I reassured myself. _Would he?_

I couldn't answer that question with any certainty but it didn't matter. Eric was at Bill's and there was no better protection than my Viking. With that in mind, I tampered down my nervousness and headed out the front door.

Walking down the familiar wooded path towards the old Compton house, I was flooded with memories about when we first met. Bill had been such a gentleman to me, he was my first love. That was until I discovered he had been sent to procure me for the Queen, before the horrible events in Jackson, before so much, too much, had happened between us for a relationship to work. For all of that, there was always a part of me that kept forgiving him. A part of me that wanted to believe there was some kind of explanation for everything and that Bill truly loved me and would never want to cause me pain.

That innocence was now long gone and recent events told me that perhaps what I thought I knew about Bill was no more than wishful thinking. I didn't doubt that somewhere in his twisted mind Bill thought he loved me, but if I was being honest, I hadn't known myself what love was until Eric.

Bill was just a _very_ painful stepping stone in that journey.

And I think, finally, I totally accepted it.

In that moment I decided no matter what came next for me; Eric would be a part of it. If he truly wanted me to be his Queen, I would try to be the best damn queen Louisiana had ever seen; even if my American upbringing found the entire notion absurd.

By now I had reached the graveyard and Bill's house was just up ahead. I felt a powerful surge of anxiety from Eric, followed by grim determination. I quickened my pace as Bill's house came into full view.

I was only a hundred feet from the porch when someone grabbed me violently, knocking my head with something hard.

I felt a trickle of blood run down my face and then everything went black.

0o0o0o0o

Eric POV

It was time to meet my maker.

When I closed the front door to Compton's shabby shithole behind me, the instinct to go to Sookie had been almost overwhelming. But I couldn't. I had to meet Appius, right now, and the risk of taking her with me or even stopping to see her were great. My maker was too fast, too strong, and any deviance from the arrangements I had made with Ocella could be fatal to my beautiful stubborn fairy.

I could only pray to the Gods that Sookie's Fae cousins were looking after her, and that Appius had been unable to enter the wards around her house. I also prayed that Niall upheld his promise to come to my aid. Fairies were notoriously devious, and if he had a hidden agenda that he could profit from in some way, I knew he would do so and damn the consequences.

I searched the bond quickly for Sookie's emotions, and felt only contemplativeness. I found that curious but it comforted me to know she was unharmed.

Taking a deep breath, I took to the sky.

Flying was my only advantage over the clusterfuck that was my current situation. I hoped to be able to assess any additional threats, and to try and spot my maker earlier than he would expect. Every detail I learned could prove to be helpful and any gaps in my assessment extremely dangerous.

Suddenly the bond I shared with my lover was struck with a crushing blow. Sookie was wounded, somehow, and unconscious. A wave of sickening panic went through me.

I hovered in the air a moment, looking down and scanning the area. Past the cemetery near Bill's, a dark van sped away. Whether this was Ocella's doing or Compton's, I knew Sookie was in that van. Where the fuck were the fucking fairy cousins who were supposed to be guarding her? The whole scenario felt wrong to me, as though planned.

_It's all connected somehow_ I thought. _But how? Regardless, heads were going to roll._

But there would be no answers until I went to Appius. I knew I had to go to him, while every second my bonded grew further away. Although she was unconscious, I sent her my love with all my strength of will.

_I'll find you, Sookie, and this will all be over soon _I thought to her, wondering if in some deep place in her mind she could hear me.

0o0o0o0

As I descended swiftly into the woods surrounding Sookie's property, I had seen no one and felt nothing through my bond with Ocella.

I landed on the ground behind her farmhouse without a sound.

_Was Niall here? Was my maker?_

My question was answered immediately.

"I am pleased that you honored our agreement and came alone" my maker's voice whispered from behind me. He had not been standing there even a microsecond before.

"Of course, you've always been honorable, Eric my child, and it is perhaps your single greatest downfall" he said, brushing a long-nailed fingertip across my jaw and slicing open the skin. A thick drop of blood pooled under his nail. I stood unmoving as he sucked it out with a smirk. I was used to his advances and wouldn't satisfy him by recoiling.

"I taste fairy in you." He said, savouring it. My blood had inextricably woven with Sookie's from our frequent passionate exchanges. "Not an unpleasant flavor" he added, clearly excited by the combination of his power over me and the new taste of my blood.

I was repulsed. There had been a time when I, although disturbed and frightened, had also respected his power in spite of myself. Now I wanted to drive a stake through his heart and never look back.

"Where is Thalia?" I said quietly, venom lacing my every word.

"All in due time my son" Ocella said "we have negotiations to make."

"Tell me what you want, Ocella. After one thousand years, I tire of your games." I said, and meant it.

"You dare speak to me in this manner?!" he said, outraged "I should punish you severely for your disobedience."

"There is nothing further you could do to me" I said, staring him straight in the eye. I was bluffing, of course. There was still one weakness he could exploit. Sookie. "And I am to be King. Maker or not, do you really wish to go down this road, Ocella?"

"Calm yourself" he said, huffing "we shall start over. I require several things of great importance that you can provide. I have asked nothing of you in these many years. As your Maker and the one who gave you eternal life on this earth, you owe me a great debt. Once you agree to my terms and carry out my wishes, I will release you from our bond."

"What are these services you require?" I asked. As we spoke, I was listening intently for a sign that there were others nearby. Whether vampire, fairy, or otherwise. I couldn't detect the presence of a single other being.

_Niall, where the fuck are you? _I wondered.

"As you may have heard, I have sired another" Appius started, while pacing as though frustrated "in doing so, I thought to preserve a piece of history. He was a royal child, and handsome, with enormous potential. My crowning achievement…" he said wistfully "…_if _the turning had been completely successful. But, where magic is involved, one can never be certain of result. The trauma of his youth, his health, the late hour at which the turning began…I believe these things to be the primary factors in his mental state. Newborns are always a challenge but Alexei has been triply so. I am fond of him, though he is totally unpredictable and something of a liability. The usual methods do not seem to affect his mind as they should. He is as though turned yesterday. Foolish, unquenchable." Ocella finished, as though unsuccessful psychological torture was simply a small annoyance.

"I fail to see how this concerns me" I said blandly.

"The insolence! Did I say you could speak?" Ocella said, slapping me as though I were but a child.

Inwardly, images of me ripping his throat out came to the forefront of my mind. Outwardly I was as unflinching as a stone.

"I require more time and more exotic methods to tame my childe. Unfortunately he has been getting some unwanted attention of late. I fear a collective movement to sanction Alexei's true death. I cannot allow this to happen. And so, I have been making arrangements with some American monarchs to secure his safety. My foremost contact had been Felipe de Castro. It seems he had an unusual interest in a certain telepathic woman from right here in Louisiana. Once I learned that the very same woman was in your retinue, I knew this would be the best solution. A simple trade: your Sookie for my Alexei's protection. Unfortunately you executed De Castro only a few nights ago. It may not have been dire, had his second survived. But I have been told of Madden's recent demise as well. This complicated things. It left me but one choice, a less favorable option. The young Queen Freyda of Oklahoma has a tenuous monarchy over her people. She is still relatively inexperienced in the political game and requires an alliance with someone of strength and renown to secure her position. Namely: you." Ocella finished.

"I am bonded already and I am to be King" I said, seething at the notion of being sold to some Queen for her personal gain "your desire for a controllable child means nothing to me. By vampire custom, you cannot separate me from my bonded nor can you force me to form a political alliance with Oklahoma against my wishes."

"Of course I can. Have you forgotten the maker's command?" He said with a sneer.

I looked around quickly, wondering again where the fuck Niall was. I decided to stall.

"Have you not considered that once I have my coronation, I could simply offer my own protection as king for the child? I could create a sanction myself which would ensure his safety." I said, stating the obvious.

"It is not that simple. I have…other debts to the young Queen as well. I had hoped that with your telepath in Nevada with Felipe, the idea of joining with Oklahoma would be beneficial to you politically. Regardless it is too late, the contract has been signed and she awaits your arrival at court." Appius said finally.

"I thought you were here to negotiate" I said "what is there to negotiate if the arrangements are already finalized? And you are much stronger and older than Oklahoma. Why not simply kill her and be done with it? I feel as though I am missing something."

"Eric you must know by now that you cannot simply kill every monarch who gets in your way. I am here to offer you an exchange. You may have your dog Thalia to take with you as a strong second, on the condition that you give me the Stackhouse girl. Otherwise, I will simply kill Thalia, and take the half-breed fairy regardless. And maybe I will end your childe Pam as well for the pure joy of it." Ocella said.

I took a step forward, gathering my hands into balled fists as my fangs extended.

"You will not touch Sookie, or Pamela" I said "and what use could you possibly have for my bonded with De Castro dead?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked "primarily I thought to use her as permanent leverage against you. But then I realized there was more to gain from her than that. There are others who want the telepath" Appius said "very much indeed" he added.

"Like me" came a voice from the woods. It was Compton.

"You take one more step towards me Bill and I will collect your fucking head." I said, and meant it.

"Appius Livius Ocella" Bill said, bowing now and formally addressing my maker while standing still. He made no move towards me.

_Wise choice _I thought _but you are still going to die tonight._

"William" Ocella said, barely glancing in his direction.

"Miss Stackhouse has been secured" Bill said "she actually came to_ me_." He gloated "I didn't have to step off my own property to abduct her."

"Freyda will be pleased" Ocella said, a small twisted smile forming on his lips.

This was getting more convoluted by the minute.

"What use is Sookie to Freyda?" I asked, incredulous.

"Open your eyes Eric" Bill said "she wants you to herself. How is that possible with Sookie in the picture? I made a deal with Oklahoma that was beneficial to us all. For bonding Sookie to me, and delivering you to Freyda, she will have a strong husband to help secure her Kingdom. With Felipe out of the way and now Preston as well, Hawaii, Nevada, Arkansas and Louisiana are all up for grabs until your coronation. This way, Oklahoma will simply absorb those Kingdoms, save one, which also strengthens her position enormously. Appius and Alexei will be untouchable under such an incredibly powerful monarch, you and your retinue will be under Freyda's influence, and I get both Sookie and Louisiana for my trouble. Everyone wins."

"Except for the part where you are a traitorous bastard and Sookie will never love you. The sheriffs of Louisiana will never respect you, and I will end you before any of this occurs." I spat "and how the fuck could someone as pathetic as you coordinate this? How did you even get in touch with my maker?"

"That part is simple" Appius interjected "when Compton was creating his database he uncovered the fact that I am your maker. He contacted me through some mutual acquaintances and has been my spy on the movements of your territory ever since."

Bill looked positively gleeful.

Uncontrollable rage ran hotly through my veins. My total disregard of him due to his age and how annoying he was had been a severe miscalculation. He was incredibly manipulative, ambitious, and delusional. The fact that I had let him live because I wanted to avoid hurting Sookie had also been a mistake I could never afford to make again. She would have to understand this.

Just as soon as I got the fuck out of this mess and she was by my side.

"Your anger betrays you Eric" my Maker said "it runs through my blood. I have not felt such passionate fury from you in centuries. You will not harm Compton. I have guaranteed him thus."

"Besides, if you kill me" Bill said "you will never find Sookie."

Suddenly my bond with Sookie sprang back to life. She had awoken from having presumably been knocked out. I felt her fear, and then I felt what can only be described as a gathering of strength and focus. I was about to send her caution through the bond when-

POP – she appeared before my eyes about thirty feet away. She had teleported herself from her captivity and into the protective circle of the ward surrounding her property.

The look on Ocella's and Bill's faces was almost worth the litany of bullshit I had had to endure since I rose for the night. I was so proud of her, my love, my bonded. She was magnificent. And yet, I wanted her as far away from here as possible.

"I'll never find Sookie, eh Bill?" I said "you were there when she popped out of the room in Hawaii." I added "how fucking stupid are you?"

"I assumed she had had help" Bill replied, his face ashen.

I looked over at my lover, who was wavering a little on the spot. She was hurt, and looked tired from the magic she had expended. Still, she smiled at me. It was a sad smile, for our situation, for Bill's betrayal, for the constant drama we faced, but it filled my heart with her warmth nonetheless.

At that, there were two more loud pops and suddenly her fairy cousins were standing on either side of her.

"Where have you been?" she asked them, and then noticed they were both bleeding as well. "My god, what happened to you two?"

"We were detained" the male fairy, Claude, said. Then he pointed at Bill "this one sent some werewolf goons after us. After you. We heard a noise in the woods outside your house while you were showering and went to investigate."

The female fairy, Claudine, shuddered.

"How could he, _why would he_, do such a thing?" Sookie asked, confused.

"Why does a fucking vampire do anything?" Claude asked, disgustedly, while wiping his bloodied hands in his pants "at least the filthy animals are dead."

"I tire of this" Ocella said. And then he yelled "Alexei, join us. Bring the bitch Thalia."

I'll admit that the idea of a two thousand year old vampire as vicious as Thalia being transported anywhere by a baby vampire scarcely 150 alarmed me.

_What had they done to her?_

A moment later my question was answered when a coffin, which by my best guess appeared to be made entirely out of silver, was wheeled out of the forest by a deranged young teenager in thick fireproof gloves. I've seen a lot in a thousand years but this was high fucking up there on the scale of unexpected visuals.

"Open it" Ocella commanded, not concerned at all about her escaping.

Alexei opened the coffin expertly, managing not to come into contact with any silver at all. Everyone in the clearing was transfixed, expecting the worst for Thalia's condition.

What we were _not _expecting, however, was for Niall to sit bolt upright in the coffin as it sprung open with a completely amused expression.

"My Prince" the two fairies said, going immediately to one knee.

"You told me not to be seen, Viking" Niall said, addressing me with a laugh.

"How in seven hells did this happen?" My maker commanded "Niall fucking Brigant? What is the meaning of this?" he demanded "Where is Thalia?"

Alexei was inching closer to the coffin, undoubtedly smelling pure fae for the first time. How he had been duped moments before was anyone's guess. Alexei's eyes glazed over, his fangs ran down, and he simply said: "I want you" before lunging at Niall.

Having clearly forgotten the pure silver of the coffin in his haze of lust, Alexei had imprisoned himself as Niall nimbly jumped out of the coffin just in time and shut the lid on the young vampire with a loud click.

"You will die, fairy" Appius said dangerously, all pretense of handling the situation politically vanishing as we speak.

I noticed Bill was now nowhere to be seen. In the confusion of the last few moments, he had escaped unnoticed. No doubt he realized he was outnumbered now, the odds no longer totally in Appius' favor.

It mattered not; I would find him and kill him before the sun went down.

"Where is Thalia?" I asked Niall, my expression one of gratitude for what he had accomplished already.

"She is recovering, somewhere hidden in the woods. I teleported her out of the coffin, with no small amount of magic might I add, to where I stood in wait. I gave her some blood then popped myself into the coffin in her place. Fairies have no weakness to silver." Niall said proudly.

"You have my thanks" I said, wincing at the word weakness. Vampires had no weaknesses. I would remind him of that, someday.

"I didn't do it for you" he pointed out, looking at his kin standing huddled together within the wards around Sookie's house. "And anyway I've known Thalia for many years. She was not always as she is now."

I had no idea what he meant by that but left it alone. I sensed Appius was about to make a move. I could sense his tolerance for chatter ending, and his fury for being undermined rising exponentially.

"ENOUGH!" Ocella shouted suddenly "I am the most powerful being any of you will ever know. You cannot hope to match my strength or speed. I may be outnumbered, but you _fairies _have depleted your magic significantly and it would take many more of you still to prove a threat to one such as me."

"So you will all do as I say" he then said, looking directly at Sookie "or your beloved Eric dies. Oklahoma's contract be damned."

Before his last word was spoken my Maker had appeared behind me and held my neck in one of his hands, my body secured to him tightly with the other.

"Their magic may be depleted" said a voice from the side of Sookie's house "but ours is not."

The witch Amelia, and her mentor Octavia, appeared from the darkness.

"And we are spoiling for a fight" came the shifter Merlotte's voice, with Alcide Herveaux and what appeared to be his entire pack. Behind them were Calvin Norris and the werepanthers, and even Sookie's idiot brother, Jason. He looked shocked and in awe of the scene before him. For once I agreed with his assessment.

From the other side of the property, the weretiger Quinn had also arrived, though the fact that he would show his face around Sam or Sookie was incomprehensible to me.

I quickly realized the entire supernatural community of Bon Temps had shown up. And then some.

"Oklahoma's contract be damned?" A female voice sounded from the woods. Suddenly a gigantic barrage of vampires came running onto Sookie's property followed by Freyda, Queen of Oklahoma. I noticed Bill amongst their ranks. _So that's where he went _I thought _he_ _always has a backup plan. _I'd have been impressed if I didn't hate him and want to rip off his traitorous-

"Ocella, that's just bad business." Freyda continued "But, given the circumstance you currently find yourself in I can forgive you. Provided you honor our bargain and deliver Eric the Norseman to me. And you should know by now that I always keep an eye on my investments."

"I can kill him before any of you even begin to approach me" Appius warned.

"Oh but then you would have _no _allies here at all. Right now you have my retinue." Oklahoma said.

"We don't want this to escalate into all-out war" Niall yelled, making his presence known once again. "Vampires haven't warred with the Fae in centuries. To include Witches and Weres as well? The losses to the supernatural community would be devastating."

"But it would be fun" said a voice from above me.

_Who the fuck is showing up now?_ I wondered. I was flabbergasted beyond fucking belief by what I was witnessing.

My child Karin, who had inherited my ability to fly, landed right in front of Appius with my other child Pam, in tow.

"You expected us to miss out on all the fun?" Pam asked, her eyebrows raised.

I hoped Preston was well guarded somewhere and recovering. But I literally couldn't spare a single second to worry about it right now.

"It seems you aren't so honorable after all, my child" Appius whispered into my ear, then "involving fairies, your progeny, and a whole circus of other supernaturals. I underestimated you." He said, almost seductively, running the tip of his fangs over my neck. "If you live through the night, perhaps you will make a good King. We could rule the Kingdom together. Agree to my terms for the sake of appearances and we will make a new plan, a new strategy. You can even keep your pet telepath."

His toxic words and the sickening feel of his arms around me was the catalyst which finally made me spring in to action. Perhaps it had been pure shock, or maybe it was my fear of Sookie getting hurt, but I had been in an almost trance-like state since arriving in the presence of my maker. It harkened back to the days when I was a newly turned vampire. Ocella's control over my mind was unrivaled; he was the only person alive who had the power to instill fear in me.

But not anymore, I realized.

TBC


End file.
